


No one gets left behind

by juliagooday07



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Freeform, Friendship, Sex, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:07:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 58,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23598091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juliagooday07/pseuds/juliagooday07
Summary: Rose was running away from the First Order in the Main Destructor base when she split up from Finn and BB8, the whole base was crumbling down and, on her way out, she finds Hux fainted and injured on the floor.  Rose saves him against her will and principles. After that she discorvers a secret that could save the whole Galaxy and The Resistance from the First Order. A new mission that she has to carry out alone. Well, not entirely alone. She has a new prisioner (and source of information) that could be useful. Rose and Hux will have to work together to survive... and not to think of themselves as more than just "enemies".
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico
Comments: 95
Kudos: 88





	1. We’re not the same

Rose was running. Running as fast as her legs allowed her through the corridors of the Main Destructor base, explosions were blowing up everywhere but she couldn’t hear them, for her ears were plugged from the waves, fire and sparks coming out of the electric panels made the floor a very dangerous place. She got separated from Finn and BB8 thanks to the ceiling, which had fallen down, tearing the floor apart with insurmountable distance to jump. She had to find another way out.  
Rose kept on running trying not to pay attention to the dead (or unconscious, as she wanted to think) bodies from the Storm Troopers and people from the Station lying on the floor. She felt the tears falling down her face, Rose knew that they were enemies, but she hated the blood and the killing, and seeing all those people bleeding… She didn’t want to look at them. Her legs were burning, the Station was falling apart and she couldn’t find the way to the escape ships or the main hangar and the time was running out. Then she came to a fork on the corridor.  
-Shit. –she said-  
Which way should she pick? Right? Left?, Goddamnit, another explosion reminded her that she didn’t have much time, but on the left side there seemed to be less corpses, so she chose that way and kept on running. When she thought that she had taken the wrong path and was close to the mental breakdown, Rose saw the signal that indicated the scape ship’s way. Rose sighted with desperation and went straight for them.  
So close, she was so close…  
Finally! Rose saw the entrance of the hangar and ran even faster, the explosions were becoming very aggressive announcing that the station had very few minutes before it all blew up, killing everyone who was still inside. Rose felt the anxiety creeping up her neck, making her legs move as fast as her heart was able to pump blood to her body, but on the way on the corridor, a shake made her balance fail and tripping with a huge black obstacle lying in the middle of the corridor.  
-Shit, what the…?. –hissed Rose looking back at what made her kissed the floor-  
All the boiling blood she had on her body from the race and the adrenaline froze. It was Hux. The same man who had ordered killing her and Finn few minutes ago. The same man whose fingers she had bitten. Rose stepped away as if Hux was on fire, completely terrified, if he saw her there… He would kill her, she was sure about it. But no, Hux didn’t move, didn’t complain, nothing. He was completely knocked out.  
Against all her principles, Rose crawled towards him very slowly, as if he was a dangerous animal (which he was). She turned him upwards so that she could see him better. There was a deep cut on his temple and it was bleeding viciously. The bright red of the blood made a huge contrast with his extremely pale skin, making Hux look as if he was already dead. Rose raised her hand and, very cautiously, put her index underneath his nose.  
He was breathing.  
-Bastard. –she said-  
The general was alive and breathing, only out of service. Another explosion, more violent than the one few seconds ago brought her back to life and to reality. She had to run, she stood up and started walking to the ships that were remaining, but midway Rose had a lash of remorse and stopped walking. She looked back to Hux, lying defenseless on the floor and bleeding. Rose swallowed with difficulties, “no, no, no, no" she said to herself. "That man would have killed you without blinking.” Rose started walking again when another shake made her bump into the wall and some pieces of the ceiling fell down. She looked at Hux again.  
-I don’t have time for this. –she said-  
But leaving someone to die like that… Rose let a little cry go out and took a deep breath.  
-We’re not the same.  
She walked all the way back to where Hux was and held him from underneath the arms.  
-God damn it. –she hissed-  
Hux was an enormous, heavy man and, on top of that, he was completely unconscious, so no additional help came from him and Rose was a very short woman, so she had to make twice the effort. After a few seconds that felt like years of dragging Hux all across the corridor avoiding sparks and little fires, Rose reached one of the remaining ships and opened up the main gate. She held up Hux again and pulled him inside, falling down in the process and her face landed on his wide chest. Rose stoop up immediately and finished off bring Hux’s body into the space ship, her face was completely red from the effort. “Move your stupid ass out of here, Rose.”  
Rose closed the gate and another shake shook the entire Base and Rose heard more explosions coming their way, Rose could see the fire starting to burn in the whole hangar and how all the facilities were starting to tear apart. There were only a couple of minutes before everything blew up to nothing. Rose sat on the pilot’s seat, switched on the engines and took the wheel. She jumped out of the hangar just in time before the gateway crumbled down and crushed into the emptiness of the space.  
Rose let herself lay back on the seat for a couple of seconds. Her ears were still plugged and she could barely hear anything apart from the constant beep on her eardrums. She had a look at Hux, lying in the entrance of the small ship.  
The vision of the general felt extremely bittersweet, Rose swallowed again, trying to put the tears away. No, she couldn’t cry in that moment, but now he was her responsibility. With a deep breath, Rose turned on the automatic pilot and a random destiny and walked towards the powerful military man she had in front of her, now, defeated.  
-We’re not the same. –Rose said again to herself- We’re not the same.


	2. I hate blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saving your enemy is the end of the world?.... maybe not.

Rose searched across the medical kit that was in the ship, she wasn’t expecting a great deal of material and devices, but, to her surprise, that space ship was really well equipped with a great deal of options depending on the patient’s needs. If only half of this kit was in every Resistance ship… Things would be much easier “It is obvious they got the Credits”. Rose felt the anger again running through her veins and forced herself to calm down.  
You got a new responsibility.  
Rose pulled out a stretcher and lowered it to the most of its capacity, Hux was gonna be a difficult burden to move. She grabbed him one more time from underneath the arms and lifted him up so that the top part of his body would rest on the stretcher, then she did the same with his legs. She stood up with a heavy breathing, “Damn, he’s heavy”. Just in case, Rose saved herself some pain and used the ties to cuff Hux down. If he woke up and tried to hurt her, he would have it difficult. After making sure everything was well tied up, Rose put the stretcher back into its original height, turned on the nurse droid and waited for the result of the analysis.  
-Great concussion on the head and two harmed ribs. –said the mechanic voice- Also, there is a cut on the chest, I suggest cleaning with peroxide, corticosteroids and healing spray. If you need assistance during the process, I’ll be here to help.  
Rose let go of all the air she was keeping, “good”, she told herself, the treatment was pretty easy then. She pulled out clean cloth and peroxide from the drawer to clean Hux’s head and chest.  
Chest.  
Wait a second, Rose frowned, “chest” implied that she would have to take off part of his clothes. Great. “It’s been years since the last time I undressed a man, and now it has to be him”. Rose sighted and got down to business, it wasn’t a pleasure activity to save (and undress) the life of one of the most hated people in the whole Galaxy, it was just.. Just... She didn’t even know what the Hell she was doing. Rose shook her head and focused on making sure that the cloth that she was using was damp enough to clean Hux’s temple, hair and face.  
-Make sure that his vitals are stable. –Rose said to the nurse droid-  
-Roger. –the droid opened up the scanner one more time-  
Rose hated the sight of blood, but, after all those years in the Resistance, she had got used to it. But what she hated the most wasn’t the bright color of blood, no, it was the smell.  
Rose sat down on a stool and started cleaning Hux with very soft touches. The cut wasn’t that deep, but injuries in the temples were always very scary because of all the blood that comes out. Rose took her time, they were not going anywhere and Hux’s breathing was deep and persistent. Slowly, the true dimensions of the injury came to the surface, Rose used the healing spray to help the inside cleaning of the wound and to speed up the healing process. Rose then took a second to look at Hux’s face, he, one the greatest generals of the First Order, completely asleep on a stretcher and saved by a rebel scum. Rose smiled a little, man, the irony. But truth be told, Hux wasn’t entirely ugly, neither how Rose had imagined him to look like. He was extremely pale, to the point that his skin looked like a marble statue with some dark under eyes, which Rose attributed to the lack of sleep and the stress that everyone, regardless the side, had been put through the last few weeks. Rose sighted but kept on cleaning Hux’s roots. That paleness of his skin clashed against the bright orange of his hair, it looked like fire, with tons of gold and red highlights spread all over, even his eyelashes were light blonde. “It’s beautiful” Rose said, a very beautiful hair. His jaw line, like the rest of his features, wasn’t harsh, very masculine, but not harsh. “Weird for such a cruel man to look so soft”. Rose felt really angry, looking at him like he was some sort of… of… Whatever, never minded, she blamed it on the fact that she had always heard of General Hux as a distant figure, always as someone whom they had to defeat, but Rose had never seen his face until that day. She didn’t know why, but she always thought of him as very monstrous man, not the way he actually looked like.  
With those thoughts still on her head, Rose stood up and dumped away the used cloths that were stained in red. She put the stool aside and lower the stretcher a little more so that she could reach the other side completely. With a heavy heart rate, Rose unbuttoned Hux’s thick coat slowly, she untied the scarf, unzipped the jacket and unbuttoned one more time, this time it was the shirt and final “layer”. Gosh, Hux wore more clothes than Rose at any point of her life, all black and good quality. Power and its benefits. Rose took a deep breath before stare at Hux’s chest.  
The actual dimensions of Hux’s body was something that was surprising her more and more, that man was really big. He might not be in the front line, but he was still a military man, and as one, his body was strong and fit, his chest was as white as fresh snow, slightly covered with a soft layer of blonde hair. The cut the droid had mentioned was right under Hux’s left pectoral. With another deep breath, Rose took the damped cloth in peroxide and started cleaning very slowly, trying not to pull the skin so that it wouldn’t bleed one more time.  
-You are doing a great job, madam. –the droid said- I can see that my indications are not necessary.  
If that droid knew how many times Rose had to stich people up…  
-How long will he be asleep?.-she asked instead-  
-According to my calculations, I would give him twenty more minutes of deep sleep. –the droid answered with its neutral voice- After that, some water and some food would be advisable, the patient has lost a significant amount of blood.  
Rose nodded and went back to work. Twenty minutes was more than enough for her to put things together, hopefully. Once the cut was completely clean, Rose took the spray one more time and spread it all around the cut.  
-I would recommend a healing injection for the damaged ribs. –the droid said-  
Rose nodded and extended her hand to the droid, the machine gave the syringe and Rose injected the fluid next to the cut so that it worked both ways: the cut itself and the ribs. One question arose in her mind.  
-How can you get these sort of injuries?. –Rose asked the droid- Can you make a diagnose?.  
-The cut in his temple was made with a very sharp object. –Rose already knew that, she thought that it could have been part of the falling ceiling- And the chest situation… -the droid kept silence for a couple of seconds- I would adventure to say that someone stroke him with some sort of heavy, sharp weapon.  
Rose look back at Hux.  
Weapon.  
Rose swallowed, if what the droid was saying was true, it meant that Hux had been betrayed. “Betrayed by his own soldiers”. Rose felt the nausea threatening to make its appearance, but she was able to pull it back, how bad was the situation for the Troopers to betray their Master?.


	3. Sleeping Beauty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux wakes up???? oH WAIT....

Pain. That was the first thought that came into Hux’s mind. A huge deal of pain on his head and on his chest. And rage. Rage and pain combined, creating a cocktail that made him open his eyes wide open. At first he didn’t know where he was, it was all dark and, and why were there little stars everywhere? Everything was so confusing, a beeping sound starting to shout from his ears… he fainted one more time.  
The second time went a little bit better. Hux wasn’t stupid, he knew he was injured, de didn’t know the full range of his injuries, but he knew why he was unconscious. The situation required patience and a slow analysis of his surroundings, and if he had learned something from all his years serving in the First Order, it was patience. He didn’t rush himself that time, he let all the feelings of nausea and dizziness to slowly fade away and didn’t try to move. After a few minutes (or hours) of just… going through it, Hux slowly started to be aware of his own body. He was more cautious that time, gave himself time to slowly go back to reality. Hux analyzed where the sources of the pain were. There were two: his head, and his chest. The head was the one that worried him the most, especially his right side, it felt as if his skull had been used as a drummer to the point that he could HEAR the blood pumping all the way through his head straight from the heart, giving him a headache of severe dimensions and making him unable to open his eyes. Hux didn’t even try, he knew that if he made the smallest movement, first, he would give himself away and he still didn’t know where he was, and second, his eyelids felt as if they weighted fifty pounds and his strength was very limited at that moment.  
But his head wasn’t the worst part, no, the worst part came from his chest, Gosh, it felt like fire. Every breath he took felt like his whole torso was burning and his skin was close to peel off. It came in waves with the heartbeats, right from the left side of his body. Hux wanted to move, but he knew it was a very bad idea, so he held himself. Everything hurt so bad… Then the relief came in the shape of spray he breathed in, everything went back to black, back to peace.  
Rose looked at the general after giving him the healing spray one more time and extending te sleeping stage. She almost felt sorry for him, Rose knew he was trying to wake up and that he should be very confused, but quick movements could open up the wounds again. Rose waited until Hux’s breathing was deep and constant to check out his temple and his chest. They were healing well and a thin layer of baby skin and medicines were covering the injured areas, keeping the bleeding and the infections away. But Hux’s chest was starting to acquire the typical range of blues and purples that indicated the presence of bruises, “good”, Rose thought, “the sooner the bruises show up, the faster the injection would work”. Rose had covered Hux again with his own clothes again so that he didn’t lose warmth and preventing him from shivering or shaking, the less he moved, the better.  
-Keep an eye on him. –she told the nurse droid- If he tries to wake up or move, put him back to sleep.  
-I advise giving him some liquid, -the droid answered- he may enter a dehydration stage.  
-Fine, -she nodded- give him water with some sugar, it would keep him from dehydration and low glucose levels.  
-Yes, madam. –the droid answered-  
The droid went to the medical kit and started making the mixture to slowly pour it into Hux’s mouth in a dripping process. With a sight, Rose went back to the commander seat and tried to find a radio frequency that could connect her to the Resistance without giving herself away to the First Order, a complicated task that required silence and full concentration. She pulled out the emergency kit from underneath her bra, she always had it with her since she was twelve years old. “Or old enough to wear a bra”, she said to herself with a smile. Rose pulled out a little screwdriver and dismantled the whole radio and radar station from underneath the wheel. If there was something that Rose was a master at, it was engines and radio frequencies. She pulled out the radar cables and made a top to cancel out the tracking system of the First Order.  
-It should work now. –Rose murmured to herself-  
She tried to dial Finn and Poe but their lines were blocked, with a groan, Rose tried to dial her department. No answer. Nothing from no one. Rose was completely frustrated because she could see all the tracking bots from the First Order trying to bug the line and how the block she had created would not resist much longer.  
In a last, desperate trial, she tried dialing Leia. “She’s not going to answer, you idiot.”  
But she did. Rose say Leia’s face pumping on front of her. With a little cry, Rose stood up full of joy.  
-General!.–she cried-  
-Rose? Is that you?. –Leia asked-  
-Yes!. –Rose’s heart was beating really fast- I’ve trying to contact you for a while, but no one answered.  
-Where are you?. –said Leia, Rose was about to answer but Leia interrupted her- Better than that, don’t answer, I don’t want to risk your location. That, by the way, I see that your signal comes from a First Order ship.  
-Yeah, I stole one. –Rose said blushing-  
-Well done. –Leia smiled, Rose felt a spark of joy in her chest- Are you ok?.  
-Yes, I am fine. –Rose nodded- I could escape from the Destructor Base right before it blew up.  
-Good, -Leia said- good to know that you are safe and sound.  
Rose felt guilty and couldn’t help herself.  
-I am sorry. –she said crying- I am so sorry General.  
-Why are you sorry?. –Leia asked confused-  
-I am so sorry about the code master. –the words were coming to her mouth and she couldn’t stop sobbing- I am so sorry, we followed Maz’s instructions and we found him, we made it into the Destructor, but the code master was a liar and he was already bought by the First Order, it was all set up, it was trap. I’ve failed you and the Resistance. I am so sorry.  
Rose couldn’t stop crying and tears were coming down, she covered her face with her hands, trying to hide her shame.  
-Hey, hey, hey, there is no need for you to apologize. –Leia stopped her with a soft voice, Rose slurped and looked at Leia with despair-  
-I screwed everything. –Rose murmured- I should have known, I…  
-Rose, stop crying and beating yourself up. –Leia ordered more firmly- The fact that you are safe and alive is more than enough now. And you didn’t screw anything, the thing was already screwed when you arrived.  
-But I… -Rose stuttered-  
-Nothing. Not even a word. –Leia’s eyes were serious and Rose kept silence- Listen, I cannot tell you where we are right now because I do not even know it myself yet, but I will make sure that you get our location, one way or another. –Rose nodded, a spark of hope was born in her chest- But for now, I need you to stay away. If you are in a First Order ship, you may get away with this mess.  
-They are already trying to track me. –Rose said- I’ve blocked the radar, but it won’t work for long.  
-More reasons for us to hurry and finish this conversation. –Leia declared, Rose nodded- Listen, Finn and Poe told me everything about this crazy operation you were doing without anybody’s permission. –Rose felt her cheeks flaming in shame, she was going to apologize again, but Lea cut her- But now you’ve said that the code master option was already screwed. –Rose nodded- And Finn and Poe told me that it was Maz the one who gave you the information about this code master. –Rose nodded again- So I’ve decided to bring her to this call, because it is possible that not everything is lost.  
Rose blinked with surprise, a three-in-one call, wow, that was risky. The image of Maz appeared right next to Leia’s.  
-Hello Maz. –Rose said with a stuffy voice after crying-  
-Glad to know that you are ok, kid. –Maz smiled, Rose smiled back- Listen to me, the both of you because we have a very little time. –Maz looked at Leia and Rose, both remained silent, waiting for Maz’s instructions- I gave you the code master option because it was the least risky one. –Rose frowned, if after all they had to do it was the easy option…- The most difficult option was to completely remove the tracking system through light speed, which is set on one of the First Order's most priviliged planets. –Rose held her breath, expecting- They have all the orders, new codes and tracking systems sent from there, I am sending you the coordinates as we speak. But it is really dangerous.  
-It’s a suicide. –Leia declared-  
-In order to do that you should need help from inside. –Maz continued- I think I could move one or two threads that… -she stopped looking over Rose’s shoulder- Is that General Hux whom I am seeing there?.  
Rose froze, shit, she had forgotten about him. Leia also looked at Hux, frowning.  
-I am so sorry, -Rose rushed- I found him lying on the floor on my way to the escaping ship and I…  
-Perfect!. –Maz said with a smile, Rose opened and closed her mouth like a fish, completely confused- You don’t need any internal help, you got it here right next to you, kid.  
Wait, what?.  
-Hux?. –Rose said pointing at him, Maz nodded- I think he would shoot himself before helping anyone.  
-Nonsense. –Leia smiled too, talking again after letting Maz explain herself- You already have your partner in crime, Rose, and I would dare to say that you got the best one.  
Rose felt the need to scream, the general was going crazy.  
-How am I supposed to work with him?.-Rose shouted-  
-Convince him, kid. –Maz laughed-  
-Rose, -Leia intervened- Hux is one the most powerful people inside the First Order with access to pretty much every base they have across the Galaxy. He is the master key.  
-And sure he’s willing to help us. –Rose said hysterically- He ordered to execute us after saying “rebel scum”.  
-Convince him. –Maz repeated- I am sure you will.  
A little beep warned Rose about a document that had arrived in her inbox.  
-You got the instructions of what you have to do. –Maz said-  
-Rose. –Leia’s voice was extremely serious and was looking straight at her- This mission is, maybe, the most dangerous one we have ever faced, more than the master code. You will have to cross an ocean full of sharks and survive. This is so dangerous that I would call it suicidal and I will understand that you back up and decide to come back to us.-Rose looked at Leia, completely lost- Don’t worry about Hux, we will find a solution for him.  
Rose looked at Hux, completely unconscious on the stretcher.  
-I don’t even know why I saved him. –she murmured-  
-Because you have a good heart, kid. –Maz said, kindly-  
“Or stupidity”. Rose said to herself. Rose took a deep breath, sure, she could refuse to take the mission and go back with the rest of the Resistance, no one would judge her; even better, they would praise her for capturing someone as powerful as Hux. It was a very tempting possibility, but, honestly and being true to herself, giving up now, after all the mess they had made… She would not be able to sleep at night. Rose grabbed her necklace.  
No, there was no giving up available.  
-I’ll do it. –she declared- I’ll convince Hux to cooperate, somehow, and I will destroy the damned tracking system.  
Maz and Leia shared a look.  
-Be extremely careful, Rose, this is very complicated. –Leia begged-  
-You can do this, kid. –Maz smiled-  
-May the Force be with you. –Rose said-  
-May the Force be with you. –both women said and the connection got lost-  
Rose unplugged the radio system completely. “No tracking for us.”  
Rose let herself lay back again on the pilot seat and turned around to look at Hux one more time. She felt the tickles of the adrenaline and fear on her hands, Hux was, maybe, one the people who hated the Resistance the most, so making him cooperate seemed like a doomed strategy. Rose took a deep breath and put together her fingertips. “As long as the Sleeping Beauty is busy with her nap, I have time to think”.


	4. Wake up

How long was he sleeping? Hux didn’t know, but it felt like an eternity. His temple still hurt, but much less than the last time. His head was still pumping and hurting really bad, but the degree of pain was more tolerable. The same way happened with his chest, it burned every time he breathed, but not as much as before. He found himself strong enough to open one eye. The ceiling was dark and there was barely any light, which he unconsciously felt really grateful for, his headache would be worse if he had a strong light pointing at him. There was complete silence as well, or so he thought, his ears were blotted. His body was an entire different story, he felt completely numb from his neck down, except for the burning fire in his chest, of course. He could attempt moving, but his intentions were just that, intentions, because he had no physical strength to move even one finger.  
But one thing he did notice was… a sweet taste in his mouth?  
An image came into his blurry vision; it wasn’t human though. It was… a droid?.  
-The patient is starting to wake up again, madam. –the droid said- Shall I put him back to sleep again?.  
“Again?” Hux said to himself, “Madam?, what the Hell?”.  
-No, -said a female voice- let him fully wake up.  
Why did that voice sound familiar? Hux tried to move his head and try to see who that woman was, but his head was so heavy and hurt so bad that he almost fainted again from trying.  
-I would beg you Sir not to move. –said the droid- Your situation is very delicate.  
-Give him a painkiller. –ordered the woman- He should have a huge headache.  
Hux indeed had a huge headache, but in this case his head hurt because he was trying to find out who she was and why she sounded so familiar. He felt a stinging in his hand. The droid.  
-I am injecting you a painkiller, Sir. It will start having effect in a few minutes.  
Hux felt completely defeated, he didn’t know where he was, and his body wasn’t answering his commands. And the person in charge was someone he didn’t know, that made him even angrier. He forced himself to calm down, “wait until the painkiller starts working”. The silence went back to wherever it was where they were. Hux started to feel angrier, “don’t they know who I am?”, there was no one assisting him except from that basic nurse droid, how dared they?. With a huge deal of strength, Hux lifted his head and almost lost conscious from the effort, but he tried very hard to stay wake. After a few seconds of struggle, his eyesight focused on the figure sitting in front of him. The woman in particular.  
-I see that you can lift your head. –she said. Gosh, the headache was killing him- I recommend you putting it back down, otherwise the cut may open again and I will have to put you back to sleep. –Hux didn’t listen and kept his head up-  
With a sight, the mysterious woman stood up and walked towards him, but she stopped midway. His whole body flexed.  
-Where am I?. –he asked, it was more difficult than what he thought-  
-I see that you can speak. –the woman continued, ignoring him- Good. I am going to ask you some questions to make sure that your brain hasn’t been damaged. Who are you?.  
Damaged. Brain. The possibility really scared Hux for a second and decided to cooperate.  
-Hux. –he answered with a dense voice-  
-Where do you work?. –she continued-  
-In the First Order, I am a high general. –standing up was becoming more and more difficult, so he decided to rest his head on the pillow.-  
-Good, -she repeated- no apparent brain damage regarding basic memory and sentence elaboration.  
-Who are you?. –he asked again, she remained silent- Don’t make me repeat myself again, soldier.  
Was she laughing?.  
-I am not a soldier. –she answered and walked a little closer- Only rebel scum.  
Time froze, “rebel scum”, like a punch on his head, he suddenly remembered who she was.  
-You… -he said with frozen rage-  
-Me. –the woman turned on a soft light and Hux could finally see her face- Nice to see you again, Hux.  
-What are you doing here?. –Hux said-  
She tossed her hair, looked down and sighted.  
-I am not entirely sure. –she murmured-  
Little by little, the painkiller was doing its job and Hux started being aware of his body, he tried to stand up… but something retained him right where he was. Hux looked down and discovered his hands were tied up to the sides of the stretcher. The fire he was feeling on his chest became something else, pain and rage combined lighted his whole body on fire.  
-How dare you, scum? –Hux spitted- How dare you to tie me up?. What did you do to me?.  
Hux tried to shake his hands in a vain trial of letting himself free, but the woman was faster and walked towards him and laid a hand on his left shoulder. In an instant, all his strength disappeared and a whole universe of pain exploded in his chest, leaving him without air in his lungs and completely paralyzed. Hux looked at that woman wishing that eyes could kill, breathing heavily on that stretcher.  
-Look, -she said- I am going to tell you what happened, but only if you promise me that you would stop moving.  
-Who do you think you are to give me orders?. –Hux was angrier than ever before, his eyes were sending sparks of hate to her- You are only..  
-Only scum, I know –she cut him-. But it also happens that I am the only living person in this ship apart from you.  
Hux stopped for a second.  
-What do you mean? Explain yourself right now. –he ordered-  
The woman lifted one eyebrow.  
-Are you going to be quiet?. –she asked. Hux didn’t answer, his eyes narrowed a little but he stopped moving, the pain was still too high to waste energy- Good. –the woman rose a hand to his face and Hux turned away- Hux, I need you to look at me. –she complained, Hux didn’t move- God damn it. –she hissed, Hux could see how the woman took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose- I know that you are confused. –she started- I know that you must be thinking that I have kidnapped you or something similar, but contrary to what you think, I have saved your life. –that made him look straight at her, his eyes completely covered in anger-  
-Save my life?. –he spitted- I am tied to a stretcher and completely drugged, is that how you scum call “saving a life”?. -Hux saw a spark of rage in the woman’s face and he felt really proud, she stood up and walked away to the pilot cabinet- Where do you think you are going?.  
It seemed like she was looking for something, Hux could hear her searching through the drawers. He used that time to try and analyze the situation, the ties on his wrists were really well done, so setting himself free was going to be a really difficult task… Hux looked at the droid, standing in the back, he could order it to use a scalpel to cut the robes… Yeah, that was a nice plan. He was going to give it the order when the woman came back with a mirror on her hand.  
Hux focused on her and was ready to tell her to let him go when she turned on a light on top of them and held the mirror in front of him.  
All of his plans and thoughts froze in his brain.  
A huge cut crossed his right temple all the way to the forehead and his hair, it was closed, he could see the thin layer of fresh skin covering it up. It was swollen and getting hints of blue in some areas. He blinked a couple of times, unable to believe that it was his reflection.  
-This is why your head hurts so much. –the woman said- And also half of the reasons why you are drugged.  
-Half?. –he repeated, now with fear-  
The woman rose her hand and, very slowly and looking at him on the face, removed the layers of his clothes to reveal his chest, she moved down the mirror and Hux could see the huge cut on his left side, completely surrounded by a huge bruise. Hux felt the fear run in his veins like fire, but he took a deep breath that hurt like Hell trying to keep calm. He looked back at the woman.  
-That is the other half. –she said. After that, she switched off the light, bringing the portion of the ship back to half-darkness and letting Hux’s tired eyes rest. She sat down again- Do you understand now why you shouldn’t move?.  
-How..?.-he murmured, still in shock-  
-I found you, unconscious on the floor. –she declared- The skin that covers your cuts is still very thin and needs a couple of hours to completely heal. –she let the words sink in- Also, two of your ribs are injured, not broken, but injured, I am sure that for you breathing hurts a lot right now.  
Damn, she was right.  
-This is why I put you back to sleep one hour ago. –she continued- If you had woken up, you would be bleeding again. –Hux swallowed- You’ll be fine in a while.  
She stood up and, very gently, more than what Hux expected, covered him again with his clothes, “to keep me warm” he thought to himself. She looked at him, there was no anger on her eyes, no rage, but pity. Another stoke of rage ran through his body, someone feeling pity for him made him extremely angry, but someone like her… that was even worse.  
-Save yourself the energy of insulting me. –she cut him before he began talking- Once you are better, we will talk properly.  
The woman started to walk away.  
-Where do you think you are going?. –he hissed again-  
-When was the last time he had the healing injection?. –she asked the droid, ignoring him completely-  
-Two hours ago, madam. –the machine answered-  
-And when is the next dose?.-she asked again-  
-In ten minutes should be fine. –the droid said- With his injuries, three shots should be more than enough. In twenty-four hours will be completely healed.  
The woman looked at him, there was no expression on her face.  
-Give him the dose in ten minutes. –she ordered- Om, and by the way droid, he will ask you to give him any sort of sharp object to cut his ties. –Hux felt the anger running back again on his veins- If, by any chance that situation happens, you should say no.  
-How dare you..?. –said Hux-  
-Yes madam. –answered the droid-  
-I am the general here, -he shouted, his chest was killing him and the pain was starting to become too much- I give the orders.  
His shout found an empty void, nor the woman, nor the droid answered him. The woman switched off the lights and walked away. Hux moved his hands, unsuccessfully, trying to set himself free. His head and his ribs were on fire and they hurt so much that he could barely keep his eyes open.  
The exhaustion caught him up and made him fall asleep pretty quickly.  
At some point, Hux felt how the droid gave him the injection. The pain decreased considerably and he started feeling more like himself. And Hux was exhausted, to be honest. He fell asleep again, to his eternal shame.  
Rose came close to the stretcher where the general was without making any noise, making sure that his breath was deep. Rose listen carefully and for a while, she had to check that Hux wasn’t playing any tricks on her. Through the low light than came only from the small lightbulbs on the pilot cabinet, Rose could see how Hux was trying to move and change posture on his sleep, but every movement meant pain for him because of his healing ribs. She almost felt bad for him, but she had to stay still and defend her position in the negotiation, they were just getting started and they didn’t have a very nice beginning. The look on Hux’s face when he saw himself in the mirror… Rose closed her eyes, it was pure terror. He didn’t even know the range of his own injuries, it was a very drastic thing to do, making him face reality like that, but it was the only option for him to stop moving.  
Rose came closer to Hux and, very lightly, put her hand on the healthy side of his face, searching for signals of fever. Nothing, just normal body heat and temperature. Rose let go of the air she had been holding, Hux was fine. Only a little hurt.  
The following day would be crucial.  
She wished there was another stretcher, for no bed or anything similar she could find anywhere on the small ship. “I will have to sleep on the pilot seat”, she said to herself. And also see how many portions were there on the small drawer that she had found next to the medical kit.  
She had to convince one of the smartest people in the whole Galaxy to play on her side and change teams. Nothing really complicated. But, unfortunately for Hux, she was always the best in strategy games and she always won.  
Yeah, the first movement was already done, the game had just started and it was her turn.


	5. Persuasion (with a blaster)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When life gives you lemons.... use a blaster. Hux will have to play a back and forth game with Rose to get what he REALLY wants.

The following morning Hux woke up with a sweet scent surrounding him, his stomach crumbled and protested, it had been almost twenty-four hours since his last meal. He opened up his eyes very slowly, the headache was just a background noise in his ears and he felt much better. His chest was also way better, good, the nurse droid was right, breathing wasn’t a painful task anymore. Painful.  
The wounds.  
Hux swallowed, he had forgotten about the huge cuts that were on his forehead and chest. The cuts that the woman had taken care of. The rebel woman. “Rebel scum”, he reminded himself, he didn’t know what she wanted, but he was sure her intentions weren’t clear.  
He looked around him, his back hurt because of being on the same position for so long, but nothing else. The woman was sitting on the same stool as the day before and she was… eating. The vision of food made his stomach protest one more time. The woman looked at him at put down the plate.  
-Good morning. –she said- How are you feeling?.  
Hux didn’t answer, he was not going to play her game of kindness, he knew what happened in those situations. The woman, in base of his silence, went back to eating. Hux’s stomach made a much louder noise that made her look at him with both lifted brows and a small smile. Hux wished he could kill her with his stare.  
-I “hear” that you are hungry. –she said again- That’s a good sign, no rejection from the medicines.  
She stood and walked towards him, Hux flexed as she came closer.  
-I will make you some breakfast, you can even choose, the portions aren’t that bad. –the woman smiled-  
-Let me go. –he ordered-  
-I am afraid I can’t do that. –the woman said- Yet.  
She gave another spoon to whatever it was that she was eating and Hux’s mouth watered.  
-I’m having fruit with yogurt and a huge cup of coffee. –she said- If you don’t tell me what you want, I will make you the same breakfast. Do you have any sort of intolerance?.  
-I already told you what I want. –Hux replied-  
The woman sighted.  
-Listen, Hux…-she began-  
-General. –he corrected-  
-General Hux. –she said- Sorry. –another spoon- The thing is, that I would love to set you free and make sure that you don’t faint, that you can walk, go to the toilet, eat by yourself, all of that. –another spoon- But I still don’t trust you enough to do that. –She looked at him and smiled again- Yet.  
-Do you think that I will obey you just because I am hungry and you have food in your hands?.-he replied-  
-And in my belly. –she added-  
Hux narrowed his eyes, that woman was smart and knew how to be persuasive.  
-I will certainly not. –he finished-  
The woman sighted and ate another spoon.  
-You don’t let me any other choice but to feed you myself. –she declared-  
Hux felt how all his body flexed and how he started having chicken skin everywhere. Being fed by that rebel scum. Not even in a million years.  
-And what is it that I have to do for you to trust me?. –he said, giving in a little, but only for the food-  
The woman smiled again and looked at him straight in the eyes.  
-Promise me that you won’t try to attack me the moment I set you free.  
Hux opened his eyes wide open. That woman was crazy.  
-That is asking for too much, woman. –he said-  
-If you attack me I will shoot you with a paralyzing substance that will make you spend the next week tied up where you are and completely knocked out. –she declared as she pulled out a blaster, her voice was firm; she wasn’t lying- And if you refuse to eat I will be forced to feed you through the nurse droid. –she continued- And to be honest, I wouldn’t like to do that.  
Hux narrowed his eyes even more, she had a good strategy, so good that he was against the strings. She gave another spoon to her bowl, emptying the whole thing. Hux’s stomach made noise again, to his eternal shame.  
-Do we have a deal, General Hux?. –she said-  
Hux took a deep breath, his chest wasn’t hurting anymore and his head was clear. He had to think about an escaping strategy, but for that he needed to let go of his hands… and have some food on his system. He looked at the almond eyes of the woman, “this isn’t over” he thought, the moment that she came anywhere close to untie him he would jump and try to held her down.  
-Deal. –he said-  
The woman nodded, she walked and left the bowl on a small table… but she sat back on the stool. Hux frowned.  
-Droid. –she said as she loaded the blaster-  
-Madam. –the thing said-  
-Lift the stretcher and untie the patient, -she ordered- he’s going to try to sit down and eat.  
Shit. Hux’s initial plan went down the toilet. The droid was an obedient machine and did as the woman had said and untied him. Hux moved his hands in circles, bringing back all the circulation that was lost from the last hours. He moved his fingers and looked back at the woman, she was completely relaxed on the stool, blaster pointing at him.  
-Why don’t you obey me?. –he asked the droid – I have much higher range than her.  
-The madam is the one who brought you inside, Sir. –the droid answered- She is the doctor here and I am her assistant, I am afraid that my protocol dictates that the one who heals is the one I should obey, regardless of the range inside the First Order.  
The woman smiled and Hux felt angrier than even before. Slowly, he tried to stretch up, moving very slowly until he sat down, both feet touching the floor and Hux fought against the dizziness that invaded him. He took a deep breath and waited until the ceiling went back onto its place, the woman looked at him closely, as well as the damn droid. “I will change the whole protocol in the droids’ system as soon as I return” he said to himself, “I will make them recognize the highest range and obey them”. After a couple of minutes, everything went back to normal and he dared to look up to the woman  
-Breakfast, General Hux?. –she asked offering him a bowl-  
Hux looked at her and then the bowl. “She had it all planned”, Hux felt fooled, he, one of the smartest people in the First Order, being played by that rebel scum. It was the weakness, he convinced himself, he gave her a poisoned look, but accepted the bowl, he was too hungry. The woman stood up and walked away, giving him space to eat. Hux devoured the content of the bowl pretty quickly, he was starving. After a couple of minutes, he had already finished everything and put the bowl aside, the woman turned around and gave him a mug with a boiling liquid.  
-It’s tea. –she said- Softer than the coffee.  
-Don’t you think I know the type of game you are playing?. –he said- Trying to sound kind and tender? For what? Making me trust you?. –he let go a little laugh- I am not that stupid, woman.  
-Rose. –she corrected him with a soft voice- My name is Rose.  
Her hand was still extended at him with the tea, he accepted it just because he needed to drink something. He gave the mug a few shots and felt the warm liquid bringing him back to life, his headache was going away as his body was processing the food, and his ribs hurt less and less as time went by. He let the food make effect on him an, slowly, Hux felt his strength coming back to his body. Hux looked at the woman. No, sorry, at Rose. So she had a name, not that he really cared, he didn’t consider her anything else than an enemy. But you needed to know your enemy’s name.  
-Have you finished?. –she asked, Hux nodded- Good, I am going to tell you what I am going to do. –Hux lifted an eyebrow- I am going to check your cuts and give them the final shot of medicines. After eating they should be completely healed in two hours.  
-And what makes you think I am going to let you touch me?.-he replied-  
-Because I have already cured you. –Rose answered- And letting you touch your own injuries without seeing them fully is not a good idea. I bet that you still cannot see your chest properly.  
Hux flexed his jaw, she was right. Damn it, she was a very smart rival.  
-Needless to say that if you try to hurt me, you are gonna have it worse. –she added, Rose gave him a tired look and sighted- I just want to make sure that bruises that were growing in you back are gone and that the scar on your forehead is clean.  
Hux and Rose shared a long look, Hux was still lighted up on a rage fire inside, not being in the power position made him extremely uncomfortable, but the fact that the rebel woman was right… made him angrier. But he needed her to check on his injuries and needed her to make sure that he was going to be fine. Shit.  
-Alright woman. –he accepted- But be quick.  
Rose moved to the back of the ship to the medical kit, pulled out some peroxide and clean cloth.  
-Droid. -She said, the machine woke up and looked at her- Get the final shot ready, I will give it to the patient in a couple of minutes.  
-Roger.  
Hux saw the small machine run to another drawer, picking up a syringe, a liquid and switching on the sterilizing machine. The woman came back to him with everything she needed… and the blaster. Hux’s eyes were focused on the weapon and then went up to look at Rose straight in the eyes.  
-Don’t even try. –she warned him- I have a burning substance that will fry your eyes if one single drop touches them. –Hux narrowed his eyes one more time and gave Rose a stare full of hate, she was right, again-  
With a sight, Rose came closer to him with the peroxide bottle and damped the cloth, she looked at him in the eyes again and then looked at his forehead. The fact of having someone invading his personal space made him very uncomfortable, he didn’t care if it was a droid, but another human… was a different story, especially if that human was a woman. Intimacy was a term he didn’t even remember and he preferred it to be like that. Hux took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down, he forced himself to let Rose come closer and not pulling her away. He also forced himself to think about an escaping plan, but his bran was still half asleep thanks to the huge amount of medicines and drugs he had shot in the last hours.  
-Lay your head own, please. –she asked in a soft voice-  
Hux looked at her with the type of look of “who do you think you are?” but he realized that… Rose couldn’t reach well to the top of his head because of the height difference if he kept his head up. Hux knew he was a very tall man, not extremely wide and muscular, but very tall, and man, that woman was very short. How tall should her be? 5,2? 5,3?. Not that he cared, of course, but he relaxed his shoulders and let his head fall down.  
It was embarrassing, but he needed to cooperate to survive.  
Hux didn’t know what to expect from her, but something that certainly caught him off guard was the tenderness of her touch. She was cleaning the damaged area with small touches that Hux’s sensitive skin could barely feel, she was being very soft to the point that she even pulled his hair away to have a better access to the end of the cut and Hux didn’t even notice it.  
She was good at that. At least he should give her the credit.  
Rose sprayed the medicine all along Hux’s temple and stepped back, having a more general vision of the situation. She nodded for herself, it looked pretty decent, still horrendous and scary, but it will fade away at the end of the day. Her eyes met his, Rose could see how flexed and uncomfortable he was, but, who was her to blame him? She would be the exact same if the tables turned. Speaking of the devil…  
-I need to check your chest as well. –Rose said-  
Rose saw how Hux took a really deep breath and remained silent for a couple of seconds.  
-How do we do it?. –he murmured, Rose felt bad for him, he really was trying hard-  
-We have two options. –she answered very softly- One is that you lay back on the stretcher and I do the same as yesterday, which was cleaning what I could see and hoping that the injection did the rest. –Hux didn’t move or speak and Rose kept on talking- Or the other option is that you remove your clothes yourself so that I can do an in-depth check, taking the advantage that you are awake and that you can move.  
Hax’s jaw flexed so much that Rose thought that he would break a tooth, he was frowning and clearly, very angry. Rose wasn’t surprised, she would be the same. That’s why she decided to give him some space and time to think about it, he was cooperating so far and she needed him to keep on doing so, even though she knew that the battle wasn’t won yet.  
Hux stretched up with a sign of pain and let go a bit of air, he was still in pain. Hux looked at her with all the dignity he could gather and started to remove his coat and fold it right next to him. Rose wanted to help him with his left arm, but she knew that Hux needed to do this alone, even if it took him longer, the general needed to know that he was still self-sufficient. Rose looked away, waited patiently and ignored the little hisses that Hux was letting go as he undressed himself, she couldn’t leave the room, but at least she could give him that “privacy”.  
After a few minutes, Rose looked back at Hux, he was sweating from the effort and very pale, but he was wide awake and his eyes were clear. His clothes were perfectly folded in the order of usage and his breathing was heavy. Rose didn’t say anything, waiting for him to give her the green light. After a few seconds, Hux nodded and she walked back to him very slowly. She damped the cloth with the peroxide and did the exact same as she had done with his forehead. She touched very slightly the fresh skin that covered his chest, being very careful of not pulling, rather caressing him.  
Both remained silent during the whole process, Hux was still battling against himself and Rose was focused on doing the best as possible. Hux looked down on her as she switched from the front to the side, she wasn’t paying attention to his face, only to his injuries and she was being extremely careful. Hux was shocked by her behavior, why was that rebel woman taking care of him? What benefit would she get out of this? What if it was true that she had saved him?... “No way”, he said to himself, “there was something hidden, I am sure”. Hux looked at her remembering her face for the future, the soft round shape of her face, her nose, her full lips, her dark, almond eyes and her long and black hair. Even the shape of her brows and ears, all made her a beautiful woman, well, “beautiful for being a rebel scum” he told himself. He didn’t want to think of anything that wasn’t how to get away.  
Rose surrounded the stretcher to have better access to his back and Hux felt a little shiver going down his spine the moment Rose started touching him there. She was being very soft as well and she took her time, making sure that every damaged inch received the same attention.  
-It looks better. –she murmured, breaking the silence- The bruises are almost gone.  
“Good”, Hux thought. The sooner he healed, the sooner his strength and witty would come back. “And then I’ll make you wish you hadn’t tied me”, he added. When she finished, she used the spray again and walked all the way back to the stool. Hux was going to grab his clothes, but Rose stopped him.  
-The spray is very liquidy. –she said- If I were you I would wait a few minutes until the skin absorbs it, otherwise it will get lost in the clothes.  
Hux looked at her frowning, but he obeyed. She was looking at him straight in the eyes, with no sign of fear or anger.  
-I think you should try to stand up and walk. –she suggested- I am going to wait until the spray is gone to give you the injection.  
-Cut this show. –Hux spitted- Why are you doing this?.  
Rose took a deep breath.  
-Ok. –she said, Rose swallowed and took a couple of seconds to organize her mind- Let’s put all the cards on the table.  
Hux sat back stretching his back and returning to his normal posture, trying to look, at least intimidating.  
-I am sorry to tell you this General Hux, but we are screwed.


	6. Down the rabbit hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose, watch your language, you need to tell Hux that you need to work together.... by showing him how fucked up you are.

Hux looked at Rose and lifted one eyebrow.  
-What?. –he said-  
-We are screwed. –repeated Rose-  
-I heard that, I might be weak, but not deaf. –Hux spitted- Save your vulgarity for those of your kind.  
Rose lifted an eyebrow as well and both shared a frozen stare. Hux was becoming more and more awake and he was feeling his strength coming back. And that woman wasn’t backing up or giving in, more on the contrary, she was looking at him dead in the eye and Hux would have sworn that he could hear her thoughts, “you are an idiot”, she didn’t say anything, but Hux heard it perfectly. She was challenging him, and, for some reason, he liked it.  
-The injection is ready, madam. –said the droid and destroying the tension-  
Rose broke the eye contact, stood up and went to pick up the injection from the sterilizing machine. Hux was becoming more and more uncomfortable, he was arguing with an enemy who seemed to be smarted than what he first thought… and he was half naked. Hux didn’t want to think when was the last time he had been like this in front of someone. Probably never. He looked down on himself, his chest was still a little bit swollen and the skin around the cut had a fading purple, but it didn’t hurt anymore. Good.  
Rose went back with the injection.  
-Do you want to do the honors or shall I do it?. –she asked I a neuter voice-  
-Droid, -said Hux instead- where should I inject the medicine?.  
-In your condition, underneath the wound on your chest would be more than enough, sir. –explained the machine-  
Shit.  
Rose and Hux shared another look, Hux was blushed with anger, Rose, smiling viciously.  
-My pleasure, then. –she smiled, Hux was going to say something, but Rose cut him- If you dare to move any weird movement I will sting this in your neck.  
Hux looked at her with all the hate he had in his body. Rose was just as careful as she was when she was cleaning the wounds, Hux only felt a little stinging sensation right where she injected the medicine.  
After that she sat back on the stool and looked at him.  
-You can dress whenever you want. –she said, Hux didn’t move a finger, he stayed right where he was- Whatever. –she shrugged her shoulders- As I was telling you, we are in a very delicate situation. –as Hux kept silent, Rose kept on going- Right now, we do not have any particular direction, I just got away from the explosion so that nobody would look for us.  
-Explosion?. –repeated Hux, frowning-  
-Yes, the explosion of the Main Destructor. –Rose said as if it was obvious-  
-Wait, what?. –Hux tried to remember what happened, but a headache came instead-  
-You don’t remember?. –she asked-  
Hux didn’t answer, he was making memory, trying to find out…  
-The patient may be suffering from amnesia. –said the droid again, both looked at him- The concussion on his head may derive in a short period of amnesia. It should fade away in the next few days, although I highly recommend you not forcing it sir, the result will be a headache and no memories.  
Rose looked at Hux frowning. Hux was looking at the floor, he seemed very confused.  
-We are in an escaping ship from the Main Destructor. –Rose continued talking in a soft voice- As I told you yesterday, I found you completely knocked out and bleeding. –Rose touched her temple right where Hux had the cut- I dragged you all the way into this ship right before the Destructor exploded.  
Hux looked at her and slowly, started unfolding his clothes. Rose could clearly see how his brain was thinking at full speed.  
-Let’s say that I belive you. –he started very slowly- I don’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth, but let’s say that I did.  
-Wait. –she said- I will bring you some evidence.  
Rose stood up and walked to the pilot cabinet, Hux looked over his shoulder to see what she was doing, it seemed like she was looking for something. She gathered two or three sheets of paper and came back to him. Rose looked at him and handed him the content.  
-This is a First Order facility, so all the commands and reports sent from the main cruise get to every ship. –Rose’s eyes were serious- This is yesterday’s, right before I switched everything off.  
Hux had a look at the papers, indeed, the date was recent, and quality of the paper was the one used in the Order. He held the papers against the light to see the water mark that official reports had, it wasn’t a fake one. Hux looked back at Rose and she nodded as she walked back to the stool. Hux started reading them, after all the formalities and ceremonial introductions, he went to the main part of the report. In fact, what the woman had said was true, the Main Destructor of the Supreme Leader had been destroyed and they were gathering all the information of what had happened…  
After a few minutes of careful reading, Hux looked up to Rose, his face was a mask of pure hate and anger.  
-You…- he said, Rose flexed and held the blaster- How dare you?!. –he shouted-You are nothing but scum, how dared you doing what you did?!. You are war criminals, you are nothing but filthy animals who think too high of yourselves, you…-Hux tried to stand up, but he felt really dizzy… He looked down… The injection…- You… -Hux’s eyes were completely outraged-  
Rose’s eyes were a frozen mask.  
-I chose a random destination after the explosion, a System close to where the Destructor was, but far enough from the First Order. –she continued- I also dismantled the whole radar-radio system, I couldn’t risk them tracking us. We are isolated right now. -Hux looked at her full of hate-  
-And what about your Rebel friends?. –he asked with all the disdain he could gather- Wouldn’t they like to find this ship and have me as a prize or exchange coin?.  
-They don’t know that you, or me, are here. –Rose said- No one does. This is why I am telling you we are screwed.  
-All thanks to you, I guess. –Hux was sill sparking up-  
-Yes, thanks to me. –Rose felt the adrenaline run through her veins- If it wasn’t for me, you would be nothing but a corpse floating in the space junk of the Destructor. Can’t you see how fucked up we are, Hux?. –Rose kept on talking, making him listen to what she had to say- Why don’t you ask yourself why isn’t your name in those reports?. –Rose pointed at the paper’s on Hux’s hands-Because I would be really worried, because, the way I see it, it means that the First Order doesn’t know where you are and they don’t want the rest of the members to know, they don’t know if you are alive or somewhere among all the hundreds of corpses of the Destructor’s crew. –Rose swallowed- Or maybe you could make it out before it all blew up to nothing. They are crazy right now with the radio signals, searching for any type of clue that would lead them to you.  
-And to protect yourself you destroyed the radio. –sentenced Hux with disdain-  
Rose covered her head with her hands, completely frustrated.  
-Read between the lines, Hux. –Rose begged- What do you think that will happen to you if they found the radio signal and tracked us down?.  
-They would find me, safe and sound.  
-They would find us.-remarked Rose, Hux lifted an eyebrow and Rose felt the urgency of slapping him- I am not an expert in First Order’s modus operandi, but I don’t doubt that they would open an investigation of what happened here in this ship. And, honestly Hux, what do you think that Snoke and all his council will believe that took place here? You, a high position of the Order, sharing an escaping ship with a member of the Resistance, member that saved you from dying and cured you? Your words may have a lot of weight in court, but on every military Code of Law says that what is happening here is…  
-Treason. –finished Hux with a cold voice-  
-Exactly. –concluded Rose lying against the wall-  
-They won’t have evidence… -he began-  
-They do. –she cut him, Hux looked at her and Rose pointed at the droid- These nurse droids start working since the moment someone enters the ship…  
-And they have a memory card with the recording of what is happening here. –finished Hux again- And not finding the droid…  
-Makes everything even more suspicious. –Rose finished the sentence for him that time-  
A dense silence grew between them.  
-We are screwed. –said Hux-


	7. Plotting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose had two options for Hux's future: one is being a magnificent pair of traitors... and the other involves some embarrassing nudity for Hux.

Rose and Hux shared a look, full of hate from him and full of indifference from her. Hux finished off putting his coat back, his brain was working at full speed. He made a quick flashback of the conversation, revising every sentence, line on the report and possibilities available.  
-You haven’t answered to my question. –he said-  
Rose blinked.  
-What question, general?.  
-The question about why you haven’t handed me to you rebel friends. –he repeated as he was putting back his scarf-  
Rose took a deep breath, she understood where Hux was going, she would be really confused as well.  
-Because if I had handed you to them right when we escaped and you were still unconscious, everything would be fine. –she explained, her voice wasn’t angry, but Hux felt a sense of anxiety in her tone- But as I told you, I cured you, I fed you and I put you back on your feet.  
-And why didn’t you do everything you just said instead of taking care of my physical integrity?. –Rose was connecting the dots and started to feel that Hux was thinking that there was a hidden intention within her words-  
-Because while you were unconscious there were hundreds of First Order ships flying around and no safe connection. –Rose explained- I hid us in a close system among asteroids, if they had found us, you would be being trialed and I would be the dead.  
Hux kept on thinking and analyzing Rose’s words one by one, what she said made perfect sense, even better, she had followed a very well planned hiding strategy. He had to think about saving the situation and his name.  
-General Hux, I need you to understand that we are on the same ship, -said Rose, breaking the silence- metaphorically and literally, speaking.  
-And let me guess... –he murmured with a very cold voice- You have a “plan”.  
Rose turned her head.  
-Something like that. –she nodded- I have several options…  
-How convenient they are, aren’t they?. –he spitted-  
-Not really, -she admitted- I have the outer shape of a plan, but I need your brain in order to carry it out. –Hux lifted a brow and looked at her with some degree of interest- We both want to go back to our normal life, and for that we need to work together.  
-You are not waiting for me to help you out just based on “pure gratitude” for what you “did”. –he smirked-  
-That was one possibility, -Rose admitted- but it sounds more like a fantasy rather than an actual plan, so I am letting it out of the table.  
-Surprise me then. –Hux’s voice was completely cynical, Rose rolled her eyes-  
-The first option is that you help me with the Resistance’s original plan to destroy the speed light tracking system…  
-Are you out of your mind?!.-Hux shouted- I would NEVER do that…  
-Or I could just hand you to the First Order after making my safe way out and leaving you to your fate. –she concluded-  
-And how would you exactly do that?. –Hux was finding this more amusing than what he expected-  
Rose put out the blaster and pointed at him, Hux flexed and frowned.  
-I could shoot you, -Rose explained very patiently- Knock you out for the next twenty-four hours, and then tie you up again to the stretcher.  
-You… -he began-  
-And then make a safe contact with the Resistance, which I could, by the way. –she continued, ignoring him but still looking at him in the eyes- Turn on the radio and let the Troopers do the rest of the job.  
-And how would that make me look guilty? I feel intrigued. –Hux smiled again-  
But Rose’s smile grew bigger and darker.  
-What would the Troopers believe… -her voice was so soft that it was almost scary- if they found their “favorite” General Hux… tied to a stretcher… halfway naked… -Hux’s face transformed into complete horror- And with the recording of the droid completely bugged to show… very “obscure things” about a woman from the Resistance with you?.  
Hux’s mouth opened and closed again, Rose felt really proud of herself, she had let the mighty Hux out of words.  
-That is absolute nonsense. –he started replying, but Rose detected a stutter in his voice, perfect- No one would believe that…  
-Oh, they will. –she smiled-  
-How?. –Hux’s eyes were burning- How would they believe something as twisted as…  
-Because, what do people really know about General Hux’s private life?. –she asked-  
A frozen silence installed in the ship, Rose was laying back and letting her words sink in, she was sitting on the stool and pointing at Hux with the blaster. Hux, on the other side, was completely astonished. He looked up to meet the Resistance’s woman eyes, which were completely calmed and her body language was the one who knew that she had the situation under control. Who the Hell was that woman? She must really be one of the best strategists in the whole Resistance, she walked two steps ahead of him. He really underestimated her…  
-But, honestly, that plan is not the one that I consider to be the most useful, so I decided to leave it as Plan B. –She confessed and put the blaster back into its pocket- And also, Hux, if I were you, I would have reasons to work with me.  
Hux felt the tingling sensation of curiosity, to his eternal shame, he had to admit that woman was really smart and really knew how to keep him up.  
-Do you remember that I told you that I found you next to the escaping hangar?. –she asked, Hux said nothing, but Rose continued- You were already injured, and, according to the droid’s diagnose, the cut from your chest was done with a sharp, heavy object, that’s why your ribs were injured.  
-And?. –Hux was livid-  
-Someone attacked you and left you there in the Destructor. –Rose said very slowly- Someone wanted you dead, General Hux, and, for once, it wasn’t any of us.  
-And does the theory of “I found you” has to do with me helping you?.-he asked, full of hate-  
-Because if I were you I would go through land and sea to discover who left me in a hangar of a destroying ship to die. –Rose said-


	8. Traitors that betray together...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux and Rose have come to an agreement????? bEG YOU PARDON SIR????

Hux looked at Rose one more time, a dense silence came back to the ship and both enemies standing on opposite sides of the room, one sitting on a stool and the other one on a stretcher.  
The situation was the perfect starting scene of a bad comedy.  
Hux was still confused about what was happening, his brain had a hole right after he had sentenced Rose and the traitor Trooper to death, and if he tried to remember what had happened, a sudden migraine came, making him feel dizzy and frustrated. If he only had his memories back… everything would be much clearer. Hux was revising again and again the last couple of hours searching for holes in the lines of what Rose had said, in her intentions, in her story, something to hold on and uncover her… but being honest, and to his frustration, Rose was right. The two of them being in the escaping ship together wasn’t good for any of them, no matter from what angle he tried to look at it from.  
If the Resistance wasn’t here already, it meant that what Rose said about sentencing her to death was a reality; just like his. If the Council, or Snoke, or worse, Ren, found out that a rebel saved him and help him to escape… The consequences were certain: judged by a military court and deprived from his status, to say the least. Thinking of the twisted smile of Ren lighted a spark inside of him, no, that bastard was not going to find out what was going on between him and Rose. No one could. She was offering him a hand to save the both of them and the odds knew that Hux would do anything to save himself from the fire.  
Hux looked at her, Rose was looking down, completely frowned and biting her lower lip. Hux knew that she was thinking as well, maybe not everything was lost. He might be sharing space with one of the people he hated the most, but, fortunately for him, the universe hadn’t turned its back on him. Hux knew, just from the past hour and a half, that Rose wasn’t just good at healing wounds, but her brain was just as sharp as the razor blade he used every morning.  
“She must be someone important and close to Leia”., Hux thought, “she is too smart to be just a mere pilot”. Hux gave himself the privilege of a smile, maybe they could get away with it.  
And also, there was the mystery of who wanted him dead. Hux knew that many people hated him inside the Order, he was aware of that reality and how his political enemies had plotted against him several times trying to bring him down. But this was different. Planning a murderer in the Main Destructor against a high official… Hux had to admit that Rose was right one more time, he had to find out who tried to kill him.  
Because her safest option was what she had just said: tying him up again and escaping as soon and as fast as possible and abandoning him to his fate. “Half naked” she said with a soft smile. Hux felt horrified by the idea, he wasn’t comfortable with nudity, he wasn’t ashamed of his body or anything similar, it was just… it felt really strange to him. Rose had also offered him help to clear his name “and to carry out that bloody plan of hers”, he reminded himself.  
But in order to save his ass, they needed a plan. A hell of a good plan.  
Hux took a deep breath. “And way down we go”, he thought to himself.  
-Deal. –he said after a few minutes of silence, Rose looked at him lifting her brows, she blinked but said nothing- I said “deal”. –he repeated-  
-Does that mean that… you will… work with me?. –she asked softly-  
Hux nodded.  
Something changed in the air, it was like the sun had come into the ship: Rose smiled. But not the fake, cynical smiles Hux was used to see and used to make, no, it was a genuine smile, a happy one, her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes sparked, she even let go a small cry of joy. Hux’s heart skipped a beat he felt the heat on his neck, he had never seen a smile like that, and of course, no one had ever smiled like that to him. “Close your mouth, Hux”.  
Rose stood up with re-charged energies and she let go of long sight, she looked like a brand different person and Hux was still processing the flash of light that had just stroked the small ship.  
-Thank you. –she said, she really sounded happy, wasn’t she?-  
-Don’t get it confused. –Hux replied trying to look calm- I am helping you for the mere reason of cleaning my name and finding out who tried to murder me.  
-More than enough for me. –Rose was still smiling and her cheeks were blushed-  
“Blink, Hux”.  
-We need a plan. –Hux continued with a plain voice- A really good plan.  
-Yes. –Rose nodded- I had a couple of drafts in my mind, but I know that they are just the sketches, that’s why I said that I needed your brain.  
Hux said nothing, “your brain”, not his position, nor his power, but his brain. That woman needed his brain and his ideas; it wasn’t common that someone approached him with the intentions of creating a strategy, he was used to be asked for opinions and approval. And being honest, he kind of missed all the creative process of designing the table with all the factors and possibilities.  
Hux would never said it out loud, but he felt tickles in his fingerprints, he was, almost, excited.  
-What do you have?. –he asked, his voice was cold and plain as usual, but his mind was burning up with ideas-  
Rose looked at him and smirked.  
-It’s not much. -she began-My idea was sneaking in… -Hux let go of a cynical laugh.- by allegedly noticing a mistake in the light speed tracking system.  
Hux lifted an eyebrow.  
-How?. –he said-  
-Let’s say that you could track down the Resistance’s escaping routes by analyzing the space particles and already bugging the navigator of the bigger cruises since is one of the biggest parts of the whole engine and electrical system. –Hux listened to Rose with close attention, her theory wasn’t… entirely absurd- But the problem relies on the smaller ships because the navigation system is independent from the main cruise, they can decide routes in the middle of speed light travelling and the signal is too weak to follow.  
-Let’s say that it was true… -Hux said pinching the bridge of his nose- how would you prove it?.  
-Because we have a report from the Main Destructor that says that part of the fleet could ran away from the First Order despite having tracking them down. –explained Rose pointing at the reports that were lying on Hux’s side-  
-That theory is defenseless. –protested Hux-  
-It WAS defenseless an hour ago. –Rose smiled- Not anymore.  
Hux couldn’t help it, he was caught off guard and he was surprised. Hux looked at Rose with wide open eyes. It was him, he was the key. Rose’s plan was…  
-What you are basically suggesting is that I should go there myself and report the problem. –he said, Rose nodded- And on what foundation do we present ourselves in the main door of the Head Quarters after all that happened in the Main Destructor?. –Hux’s voice was as cynical as always, but he felt extremely curious about what Rose would answer-  
-Precisely because the Main Destructor is gone, everything is a chaos now and is the perfect chance for us to sneak in. –Rose’s voice was gaining more and more speed- All communications are a wired mess of different quarters, codes, codified messages and orders flying everywhere trying to put everything back together. –she looked at him, her eyes were sparkling- Besides, the Main Destructor is still out there, freshly destroyed and with tons of useful pieces, information, computers and data bases that have to be gathered to see what the security cameras and voice recordings have to say about what happened there for it to explode the way it did. –her smile grew- And where will all that crucial information go to?.  
Hux narrowed his eyes, completely astonished.  
-Every report that comes from the investigation has to come from the Head Quarters with its verdict before it is send, considering the range of the situation we are facing. –said Hux- And the commission in charge of the investigation will have to go through all the information from the Destructor’s main computer. –Hux kept silence for a couple of seconds- How long have we been here?.  
-Less than twenty-four hours. –Rose answered-  
-It will take them at least two full days to get to the computer. –sentenced Hux- Considering it wasn’t blown out as well, but they won’t find out until they get to it.  
-That buys us time to set the trap. –she smiled-  
They shared a look, Hux couldn’t believe what he was doing, but, once again, he was completely surprised and caught off guard by the rebel’s brain and intelligence. “She is really good”. He thought, “and we are just getting started”.  
-But it does not explain my presence there, I am afraid. –Hux clicked his tongue-  
Rose looked at her boots and the uniform from the First Order that she stole when she got to the Destructor. A light switched on in her head.  
-Actually… -her heartbeat started to rise-actually, yes, it does. –Hux lifted an eyebrow once again and kept silence- Your name isn’t in the reports, which means no one knows where you are. We can use that. –Rose turned to face him- If we can make the officers believe that you could escape and I, -she pointed at the stolen uniform-, a mere soldier from the crew help you out, we can make them believe out story.  
-And how do we explain the silence?. –Hux pointed out-  
-By saying that, one, -Rose lifted one finger- the radios were being bugged by the Resistance, and two, -Rose lifted a second finger- that in order to establish a safe connection I needed de access code that only high officials like you have, and that you were knocked out. –Rose looked at him with a proud smile- And if they want an evidence, they can always use a blood analysis. The medicines that I used on you are so strong that…  
-The body will, at least, need two weeks to completely remove it from the system. –Hux finished-  
Rose nodded and Hux started to see the pieces of the puzzle on the table they had set. It could work, but there were still some pieces missing. He would have to make them up.  
-The speed light tracking system was my idea. –he confessed- I can put out the finding of the mistake.  
-Not surprised that it was you. –Rose said with a smirk-  
-Why so?.  
-Because only someone as twisted as you could design something like that. –Rose declared-  
Hux smiled to himself, he took the rebel’s words as a compliment.  
-We have a start.-he said, Rose nodded- Do you know anything about the place where we are going to go to lie?.  
Rose tossed her chin and gather all the information she had read.  
-The information that I have is that the biggest central office from the Head Quarters is in the district capital of the planet. -Hux nodded, at least she knew something- But as far as I am concerned, the planet that we are searching for is in the Middle Rim, is a system with a single white star.  
-A really well protected system whose access is already very restricted as it is, not mentioning the boarding pass to the planet itself, less even the district capital. –Hux pointed out- Only residents can move freely and a few very high members from the First Order can get in, and with an invitation.  
Rose lifted her brows and whistled.  
-Invitation from whom?. –she asked-  
-The invitation can be whether from a member of the Council or from a planet resident. –Hux explained-  
-And which one of them is the least difficult to achieve?. –Rose was walking up and down the small corridor, her brain was also burning up-  
-The members of the Council must be right now with the Supreme Leader. –was that adoration what Rose felt in Hux’s voice when talking about Snoke?- The complete opposite of accessible, I am afraid.  
Rose looked at him.  
-And I assume that someone such as yourself, General Hux… would have… any sort of relation with the residents?. –Rose adventured-  
Hux smirked.  
-Maybe.


	9. You can hide behind me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux is starting to uderstand what is going on... and how mean he's been to Rose. Eye-

Rose was euphoric, she couldn’t believe that she had actually convinced Hux to work with her. Rose had designed her plan by sticking to the truth as much as possible, almost eighty per cent of the reasons she had used to trick Hux were true: Leia and Maz may know about her and what was going on in the escaping ship, but if the rest knew… she would be screwed, judged and sentenced. Saving the situation by trying to get into wolf’s cave… seemed desperate, and, indeed, she was desperate.   
Rose had spent most of the night (and the time Hux was unconscious) wiring everything and designing the board game in which they had to play. The report from the First Order was just the final touch that came in the shape of an unsolicited gift.  
“And now the game has begun”, she thought.  
Rose’s heart was pumping like crazy and she was feeling the adrenaline running through her veins. She bit her lip one more time and looked at Hux, he looked as cold as usual and his face was the emotionless mask she was getting used to seeing. He was still sitting on the end of the stretcher, Rose had a quick look at his face: his eyes were as sharp and as cold as she remembered them from the Destructor, that paleness of his was back to normal levels after the combined effect of eating and the medicines doing their job. His forehead was still a hair swollen, but healing very quickly, and the bruises were fading as well.  
-Before we make our next move, why don’t you try to stand up and walk?. –Rose suggested-  
Hux looked at his feet, touching the floor even though he was still sitting down, “he IS really tall” Rose thought, her feet would be miles away from any hard surface, bouncing in the air if she was on that stretcher. Slowly, Hux started to lay more and more of his weight on his legs as he slowly came closer to the end of the stretcher. Rose was looking at him with certain degree of concern and holding her breath, she was scared that he would faint, maybe it was too soon.  
Hux looked at some point over Rose’s shoulder and made the final move: he pushed himself up with the hands and stood up. Hux stretched up to all his length at let go a bit of air, “damn he IS tall”, Rose thought, more than what she expected. Yes, it’s true, when she dragged him all the way to the ship and lied him down on the stretcher, Rose was aware that Hux was a very tall man, but now the reality hit different. They were in a small ship and Hux occupied more space that what she imagined, Rose looked at him up and down, “I must be more or less half of his size”.   
Hux looked down at her, “she IS really short”, Rose seemed far away from him, when he was sitting Hux noticed that the rebel woman wasn’t particularly tall, but now she looked even smaller. Hux took a deep breath and looked at the front, making his eyes focus on different parts of the ship to check that everything was fine. He tried to walk… But a stinging in his head made him lose balance.   
Before he even realized, Rose was right there holding him by one arm and the other hand was grabbing him on the healthy side of his chest, keeping him from falling. “I knew it”, Rose thought, it was too soon. She might be small, but her reflexes were very quick. Hux looked at her with a painful expression.  
-Maybe it was a bad idea… -Rose said, but Hux shook his head and tried to stand up again- I think you could try later…  
-No. –Hux cut her- I must do this.  
He stretched up again, but that time Rose didn’t go away, she stood there, offering him some stability. Hux took another deep breath and tried to take another step, very slowly. He distributed all his weight so that both of his legs could bare him. His eyesight was still dizzy, but not fading, like few moments ago, “Come on, Hux” he told himself.   
Another step, Rose’s arms were holding him softly but firmly, making sure he didn’t trip. The floor was still moving, but, just like before, Hux took another deep breath, waited a few seconds, another step. Hux repeated the process until he found himself strong enough to walk without pauses. At the same time, Rose was letting her holding go bit by bit, she could feel how Hux’s body was completely flexed from the effort and how little sweat pearls were covering his forehead and his breath was heavy. It was evident that the general wanted to be autonomous once again, even if he had to faint and accept a rebel’s help in the process. “He’s stubborn, this Hux”, Rose thought with a little smile. And her guessing was right, she was just around the height of Hux’s shoulder when he bended, but she should be lower if Hux stood up completely with his shoulders back. Hux had accepted her initial help, but it was becoming evident that he didn’t need her anymore, so Rose stepped aside, still watching him and ready to jump in, but Hux could continue alone.  
Hux felt much better after walking for a few minutes, his head was much clearer, as well as his senses. He looked at the rebel, who was still watching him closely, but more relaxed. She gave him a concerned look but stayed away, giving him space. Hux hated when people tried to help him in any way, shape or form, but that time he had to admit that he may needed Rose more than what he would like to say, because fainting again didn’t sound nice.  
And besides, they had a plan to carry out. “The bloody plan”, he thought.  
-So, you said that you know a resident from the planet we are looking for…-Rose started-  
-The planet is called Muna. –Hux explained- And I know many residents. –he corrected her with a plain voice-  
-Are they your friends?. –she asked-  
Hux smirked, “do I look like someone with friends?”, he thought, but didn’t say anything.  
-No, but they we are acquainted.   
-“Acquainted” enough to send an invitation?. –Rose said-  
“Good question”, he thought. Hux revised quickly the list of people he knew from Muna, everybody there would feel honored to have a high general in their house for a couple of days, reputation in that planet was key for their social status. But it was Hux we are talking about, most of the people there would politely reject him after all the years of disdain he had given them.   
-There is someone. –he began- He might let us in.  
Rose bit her cheek, “might” was a very loose word. She wanted to remark how much was at risk, but she let Hux think, she knew nothing about Muna and her best source of information was the First Order general who was still reluctant to trust her.   
-And how can we find him?. –Rose asked-  
-Calling him would be enough. –Hux said- We haven’t talked in almost one year, but is my best option.  
Rose took a deep breath and nodded, “my hands are tied up right now”, she thought. It was her turn to trust the general’s words.  
-I will try to hide while you speak with your “friend”, -she said- I don’t think they will know who I am and I know that the uniform is a distraction, but the least number of risks we take, the better.  
Hux nodded slightly.  
-If everything is clear, I will start working on the radio station. –Rose declared- I will make it work one more time.  
Rose stood up from the stool and stated walking to the pilot cabinet and to the mess of cables she made last night. Hux looked at her as she bended underneath the pilot seat and started putting pieces together. She really helped him, uh?. Hux looked at his own feet, maybe he wouldn’t be standing if it hadn’t been for her. But Hux didn’t fully trust the rebel since his memory was still foggy and the fact that they were together seemed still strange, to say the least.  
Rose was completely busy with the cables and wasn’t paying attention to him, so Hux took advantage and went to the small toilet. He noticed that the nurse droid was following him and frowned.  
-What do you think you are doing, droid?. –he said with disdain-  
-I saw that the patient was still not completely healed and my mission is to make sure that you are safe, sir. –the machine answered-  
Hux felt the urgent need to kick the damn thing.  
-I can walk by myself without any sort of assistance. –he spitted- Now, go away with that woman.  
-I feel lack of trust in the madam’s medical skills. –the droid continued, ignoring Hux and making him very angry-  
-If you dare to talk to me in that condescend tone one more time droid, I will dismantle you piece by piece. –Hux threatened with a sharp voice- And no, I don’t trust any of the words of that woman says.  
The droid didn’t reply, but instead he did something that would have hurt Hux more than anything else: showing him the truth.  
He projected a bit of his recent memory, right when he switched himself on for the first time.  
Hux say the image of the open gate of the ship when it was still in the hangar. Hux blinked, confused. On the droid’s projection, Hux could see a very familiar scene, the hangar of the Main Destructor, he knew it very well, he had been there more times that what he was able to count. The only difference was that the hangar was crumbling down, fires and sparks everywhere, shakes and explosions were heard in the distance, the lights were blinking… the vision was psychotic and horrendous.  
-What are you trying to do?. –he asked- I don’t see…  
Hux had to stop, in that moment, a creeping figure dressed in grey and black that was coming from the corridor to the ship. The droid could record the heavy noises… and the little anxious screams of a Rose that was… dragging… something. Not something, someone.   
It was him, Hux realized, she was carrying him.  
Hux blinked confused and completely hypnotized at the same time, after a shake, he saw how Rose was running as fast as possible to the ship… with a fire coming after her from the corridor. “I was there”, he thought swallowing, Hux saw how Rose pulled him inside of the ship and at the same time, a huge shake and an explosion made her trip and land on top of him… and even there, unconsciously, she covered his head to protect him. When Rose looked up straight at the droid, Hux saw the absolute terror on her face and tears coming down her cheeks, but she stood up and finished dragging him inside of the escaping ship and closing the door right before a huge explosion hit the hangar with fire.  
Rose was running to the pilot cabinet and saving them from the final blowing up.  
The image got blurry and then the droid showed an image of him, completely knocked out in the stretcher and Rose cleaning his wounds. She was crying.   
-The shock after the adrenaline is hitting you, madam. –said the mechanic voice of the droid- I can provide you with some medicines.  
Hux saw how the woman shook her head and said no, she cleaned her tears and looked on him.  
-I don’t know what I’ve done. –she cried and let out a hysterical laugh- I think I have ruined my life.  
The video ended there. Hux let himself lay against the wall, completely puzzled.   
-So everything she said is true. –he murmured-  
-The madam saved you, sir, indeed. –the droid nodded-   
Hux went to the small toilet, he needed to be alone a couple of minutes.  
He washed his hands and his face, letting the small drops run free through his face and dying in the sink and in his clothes. Hux looked at his own reflection. The image wasn’t what he was used to see. The huge cut on his forehead was almost gone and he tried to touch his ribs, the chest was healed as well. His eyes were sharp and clear, but the white of his eyes was a little red, his under eyes were puffed and purple, thanks to the concussion and the exhaustion.   
Hux took a deep breath, he was a nasty person, he was hateful and irritating, twisted and cruel. He was very aware of his own personality and his manners. He knew that people hated him and they were probably right in doing so, he would hate himself as well. But he also held himself in a very high self-stem, he liked how smart he was and how he could foresee what was going to happen and use it in his advantage. And also, Hux valued his honor and his reputation above all things. And his honor had been questioned. A spark of fury made the blue of his eyes shine, he was determined to find out who tried to kill him, he had to.   
And what about the rebel?.  
The video recording showed that his first assumptions about Rose and her intentions were wrong, and for that, he had to do something. He would have to make amends with her, Hux knew that he was not going to say sorry out loud, he was too proud for that. That was why he preferred actions as his mechanism of apologizing, “actions speak louder than words”, he learnt a million years ago.  
Hux took a final deep breath and left the toilet, followed by the damn droid to the pilot cabinet and where Rose had finished putting everything together. Her small, clear smile was something that didn’t stop surprising him, “I think I have ruined my life”, she cried few hours ago. “Well, not for long”, Hux was a disgusting bastard, but he was a man of honor.   
And he hated owing favors.  
-Good to see you walking. -She said- I got I all sorted out. –Hux nodded- But there is one problem.  
-Which is?. –he asked-  
-The length of the cables is limited, -Rose explained- so I have to be present during the conversation to hold them together.  
Hux look at the cables she was holding.  
-You can hide behind me. –he declared, Rose looked at him completely surprised- You are very small, it should not represent any problem.


	10. Crazy about you… or CRAZY about you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's get physical...

Rose couldn’t believe that she was actually doing this and Hux couldn’t believe it either, hiding someone underneath his clothes; no, worse, hiding a woman underneath his clothes. Hux would never say it out loud, but his heart was pumping hard in his chest and his ears were slightly red, he could feel how Rose’s body was completely stuck against his back and he felt her warmth right through his clothes. “Make it as fast as possible, Hux”, he said to himself, he was really uncomfortable having someone that close.  
Rose was crawling in a ball shape right underneath Hux’s coat, holding the cables and using her Haysian necklace as the conductor. Hux was sitting on the edge of the stretcher and he had pulled his coat back so that there was a space on his back… so that Rose fitted right in. “If my sister saw me…” she thought, her, hiding underneath a man’s clothes not to get caught. Her cheeks flushed red and she adjusted herself as much as possible against Hux’s back trying to mimic with the general’s body.  
-Ready?. –she murmured-  
-Ready.-he said-  
Rose allowed the left cable to touch the Haysian and, in an instant, the whole radio system started working with the safe connection that Rose had created. Hux entered his private password and dialed his number. One tone, two tones, three tones… “Come on, answer you idiot”.   
-Hello?. –said a masculine voice-  
Rose flexed and held her breath, “here we go”.  
-Hello, Raj. –said Hux-  
-Wait, what?. I can’t see you… -he adjusted the camera, after a few seconds of Rose’s anxiety, the signal stabilized- FUCKING HELL. –he shouted, and Rose almost shouted too, Hux lifted an eyebrow- ARMIE?.  
Rose lifted an eyebrow too, Armie? What the Hell?. Hux took a deep breath and smiled a little.  
-How are you?. –he asked-  
-I cannot believe this, I cannot fucking believe this!. –said Raj, he laughed- Armie! When was the last time that…?  
-Almost a year. –Hux said, Rose was completely lost, “Armie?”- Good to see that you are fine.  
-Fine?. –Raj laughed- This is bonkers, Armie, woah, you were the last person I thought that would call me today.  
Hux let go a bit of air through his nose… in the shape of a laugh?. Rose was completely shocked.  
-I take that as good fortune. –Hux said-  
-Fuck the formalities, Armie, don’t talk to me like we’re not friends.   
So they were friends… Rose blinked, this was interesting. Hux sighted.  
-I need your help, Raj. –he confessed- I am completely desperate. And screwed.  
-Armie, where are you calling me from?, -asked Raj- this number is…  
-I wish I could tell you, Raj, but that would give myself away. –Hux explained with certain degree of anxiety- I am afraid that I am in a very dangerous situation.  
-Tell me what you need. –all amusement disappeared from Raj’s voice, Rose held her breath again-   
-I assume you know the news. –Hux begun, Raj nodded- Fucking rebels. –he spitted-  
-Fucking rats. –Raj spitted as well, Rose felt the anger in her chest but forced herself to calm down- No one knows where you are Armie, when I read the reports…. –he stopped- I didn’t want to believe them, I didn’t want to think that you might have died.  
Hux shook his head.  
-I am more difficult to kill than what those rebel scums think. –he smiled- But right now the First Order is at risk and I need your help.  
-I am for whatever it is that you need. –Raj declared-  
-Listen to all I have to say, I don’t have much time before they try to bug the conversation. –Hux went back- I am in an escaping ship somewhere in the middle of nowhere with another solider that helped me to escape, but I have to go to Muna. –Hux gave Raj a very intense look- I have found a crucial matter that requires the Head Quarters. –Raj held his breath- I cannot tell you for the safety of the plan.   
-I understand. –Raj’s voice had become very slow, Hux knew he was thinking at full speed- I am sending you the invitation as we speak.  
Hux let go a bit of air.  
-Thank you, Raj. –Rose almost choked on her own saliva, Hux saying thank you?-   
-Don’t say it on the phone, Armie, I want to hear it in person. –Raj smiled and Hux gave him a little smile back, giving thanks that Rose couldn’t see him- By the way, I am booking you the best room in the city.  
-That’s… -Hux began- That sounds really nice.  
-I am having a party next Wednesday. –Raj said- I want you to come as my main guest, -Hux was going to protest but Raj was faster- consider it a “thank you”.  
-Okey. –Hux agreed-  
-Om, by the way, -Raj smile was mischievous- there is only one rule: bring company. You know what I mean.  
The call ended and the invitation to Muna came out of the same printer where the report had come out the night before. Rose put away the cables and the whole radio station turned off, she hid the necklace underneath her clothes and waited for Hux to stand up. The general removed his coat, releasing Rose from the uncomfortable posture, their backs were completely glued and Hux looked over his shoulder to the rebel woman, her cheeks were flushed and her hair was messy from the static electricity. Damn she really fitted inside the small of his back when she crawled up. Rose separated from Hux, let the cables fall to the floor and tossed her black hair. She stretched up after the tension and anxiety from the call, then she looked back at Hux, which had the same cold expression as always.   
-Well, it wasn’t that difficult. –she said-  
-No, -he agreed- but the difficult part comes now.  
Rose moved a little so that she would still sit on the stretcher, but letting one of her legs to fall down so that she could turn around and face Hux better.  
-Yeah, -she nodded- onto the wolf’s cave.  
Hux didn’t answer, but Rose could clearly see how his bright blue eyes were fixed at some point over her, he was thinking, frowning his lips and with a calm breathing. Rose didn’t like the sound of that silence, but said nothing as well. She let the general think, Rose was now in the weak position, she knew nothing about the planet, Hux’s contact or how to proceed with the First Order protocols. Rose had to trust Hux’s decisions and cross her fingers. But meanwhile…  
-I think we should start moving. –Rose suggested- We have the coordinates and the address.  
Hux blinked and looked at her, it was like he was so caught up in his own thoughts that he had forgotten about her. He nodded and handed her the papers. Rose stood up and went to the pilot cabinet, she sat down and switched on the engine. The whole ship transformed itself: the low lights they were using changed to the full lighted up version, every electrical panel turned on and the navigation assistant popped up on the screen. “Much better now”, Rose thought as she introduced all the required information on the computer, “this really looks like a proper ship and not a cave”.   
-Good news is that the oxygen and fuel levels are enough to make it to Muna. –Rose said over her shoulder- With the safe route that…. –she looked at the name on the paper- Raj sent you, we should be there in about twelve hours.   
Hux was still silent and Rose was getting more and more worried, but she kept on going with the navigation system, but she added some modifications so that they would go unnoticed until they reached the system in particular. After she switched on the light speed, the turned around to face Hux and his now frowned expression.  
-Is there any problem?. –she asked soflty-  
Hux took a deep breath and looked at her.  
-Do you have any sort of knowledge on how the society works in Muna?. –he said, Rose frowned her lips and shook her head in denial, Hux pinched the bridge of his nose- You and your… “friend” –Hux’s despicable tone didn’t go unnoticed by Rose, who frowned deeper- went into that casino to find the code master, am I right?. –Rose nodded- Well, let’s say that it is just a little taste of how Muna looks and works like.  
Rose couldn’t help but remembering how disgusting was the atmosphere of that bloody place… and now she would have to jump straight into the pool.   
-Keep going, please. –she murmured-  
-Muna is the epitome of wealth in the whole Galaxy, -Hux explained with a plain voice, like if he was talking about the weather- only the richest out of the richest live there. It is also the place of residence of most of the members of the Council. –Rose felt a shivering going down her spine, Hux gave her a concerned look- There will be hundreds of thousands of people like me… or worse.  
Rose took a deep breath and looked at her feet, “you accepted the mission, now buckle up and go for them”.   
-Fine. –she murmured- How do we do it?, because I assume that you have a plan.  
Hux shrugged his shoulders and looked at her, lifting a brow.  
-We will have to be together. –he declared, Rose frowned- You heard my contact, I “have to bring company”.   
“Raj”, Rose thought, Hux seemed quite uncomfortable.  
-Could you please be a bit more specific, general Hux?. –Rose asked- Because right now I feel a little bit lost.  
-When my contact asked me to bring company, it is not soldiers what he means, I am afraid. –Hux was… nervous?, Rose lifted an eyebrow… Oh, she understood it all and it felt like a bucket of cold water.  
-Your “contact” means an attendant. –Rose said, Hux nodded- And I am that attendant. –she finished, Rose looked at Hux- Attendant for that party?.  
-And for every social movement we will have to make until we get to the Head Quarters. –pointed Hux, who pinched his nose and sighted- Which I am afraid that will be plenty, knowing how these people work.  
-And why does it have to be me?. –Rose asked with certain degree of anxiety- I am the “other soldier” who helped you to escape.  
-Because this was your idea and don’t think that you will make it pass the street on your own. –Hux replied with irritation and a frowning-   
“And because if have to go down that shit show, I am not going alone”, he thought. Besides, Hux knew that practically nobody would agree to go anywhere with him, he hated all the fakeness and two faced personality of ninety-nine percent of the people who lived in Muna and he made it very clear years ago. He might be a twisted bastard, but at least he was honest about it.  
Rose laid her head on the seat and closed her eyes. Hux was right, it was her idea, her plan and she felt both disgusted and exposed. Disgusted because she would have to pretend loving a society and a series of attitudes that she hated to her guts… and exposed because she knew nothing about the life of the people of Muna. Rose took a deep breath and put her fingertips together, her brain has working at full speed and squeezing every single grasp of an idea that her brain cells could create; and being honest, after the mind battle against Hux, her brain had the same texture as butter.   
-I am going to make another cup of coffee. –she declared, Rose had found an empty void instead of a brain-   
She stood up and went to the drawer where the portions were, while the machine warmed up, Rose crossed her arms and considered the different options that she had. She looked at Hux, he had stood up as well and was walking up and down the corridor, Rose knew he was thinking as well.  
-This is what we can do. –she began- I will search as much information about Muna as possible, the people, public figures… all that jazz. We have twelve hours to design everything, more than enough.  
Hux nodded and kept on walking, Rose picked up her mug and went to the navigator next to the pilot seat. For the next hour and something, Rose drenched herself in all the social media accounts of the most famous celebrities, companies, families and trends going on in the planet. She went across a lot of different pictures of how parties looked like in the eccentric mansions and casinos, how people dressed and behaved. Rose felt a crumbling feeling of anxiety and disgust growing in her stomach, those people looked like snakes, apparently calmed, but she knew how dangerous they were.  
She couldn’t help it, but looked over her shoulder to see Hux, he was a snake as well, but Rose noticed that the aura that surrounded the general was different, “he is just as bad as them, but at least he doesn’t hide”, Rose thought. Speaking of the devil…  
-Hux, I would like you to give me an idea of what kind of attendant you have in mind. –Rose said breaking the silence of the ship, Hux turned around and faced her, but only lifted a brow, Rose took a deep breath “relax”- For what I can see here –she pointed at the navigator- everyone behaves in a very familiar way and they hug, -Rose swiped images- kiss, -another swiping- shake hands, -another swipe- dance together… very together in some cases. You know, physical contact. –Rose saw how a flash of disgust and horror crossed Hux’s face and couldn’t help but to smile- And, forgive me for the familiarities, but I don’t see you doing any of that.  
Hux needed a couple of seconds to deal with the sudden shiver that hit him after picturing what Rose said. Physical contact. Ugh.   
-Come on Hux, -she added smiling and Hux would dare to say that she was having a great time- I was hiding under your coat not that long ago. –he felt the heat on his neck- I don’t think things can get much worse than that.  
Hux pinched his nose, she was kind of right.   
-According to Muna’s customs, my attendant would have to be with me everywhere I go. –he began with a dragged voice, Gosh, this was difficult, he took a deep breath and prayed that his voice didn’t shake- Holding hands is an absolute no, but holding my arm, maybe. -he looked away, Rose’s smile grew bigger, he was blushing-   
Rose covered her mouth to hide her amusement, gosh, if someone had told her that she would be doing this some months ago, she would have laughed. After a couple of minutes, Rose came up with a kind of a twisted idea. Rose left the navigator aside and switched it off, she stood up and went to Hux, joining him in the corridor walk, he looked at Rose and said nothing. Then Rose tried to reach his arm and hold it, Hux ran away immediately.  
-What do you think you are doing?. –he spitted-  
-Exactly what you said. –smiled Rose- Trying to hold your arm and walk with you.  
Hux rumbled knowing he was completely surrounded and cursed his own name for accepting helping her. “And compensate her for what she did”, a little voice reminded him. Hux walked again at her same height and offered her his arm without looking at her. “He’s trying to cooperate”, Rose thought and she almost felt bad for him. Rose held his arm with all the delicacy and softness she could gather and started walking.   
That day Rose discovered that Hux walked with confidence and every step he took was perfectly coordinated with what his body language said: Hux was a very authoritarian man and he made it very clear when he walked. Rose also learnt that she had to walk a little faster to follow his rhythm, her legs were way shorter than his.   
She walked and held Hux’s arm letting a decent distance between them, not so much so that it looked artificial, but neither too close to make him more uncomfortable. “Gosh, I feel like a teenager”, she thought with a smile.  
Hux needed a few minutes to stop the urgency of pulling Rose away. He was completely flexed, he felt his ears burning and his heart was pumping like crazy, he didn’t even remember the last time he did something like this and he felt ridiculous.   
A woman holding his arm on a walk through a corridor of an escaping ship.   
Hux almost laughed, too ironical to be true. But it was, Hux looked down at Rose, she was calmed, looking at the front and at her feet. Hux noticed that she was letting some distance between them and he felt relieved, at least he could get used to it bit by bit. The walk kept on going for a while, Rose’s hand was soft but firm on his forearm, her fingers pressing the soft cloth of his coat.  
-And in terms of personality?. –Rose asked breaking the silence and pushing him a little more, Hux frowned- How should I behave? Do I have to laugh at what you say? Smile?... –Hux’s face was priceless and Rose was enjoying herself more that she would like to admit- How do I call you, by the way?.  
Rose bit her cheek trying not to laugh, Hux was extremely anxious and this was becoming too much and too personal too quickly, but if he said that she had to play the role, he would have to roll with it.   
-Jokes asides, -she said trying to bring some peace- if we are going to play this game, I just want to know my role. –Rose smiled to herself- And right now the one who knows best is you, general Hux. I may have an idea of things work in Muna, but the next step is in your hands.  
Both, rebel and general shared a long, intense look. Rose was calmed and Hux could read in the almond eyes of that smart woman that she meant every word she said. “There is no other way”, he thought.   
-We will go together pretty much everywhere. –He began- Walks, reunions, parties… wherever Raj takes us. –the fact that Hux used Raj and not “my contact” didn’t go unnoticed, Rose nodded and smiled- Raj is one of the most influential people in Muna, his family is one of the richest and one of the biggest suppliers of the First Order. He also has access to the Head Quarters, his father was one the closest advisors of the Supreme Leader. –Rose wrote that down on her mind-   
-Can I ask you how you met?. –Rose asked, Hus flexed a muscle in his jaw- Just for practical purposes if someone asks me.  
-We met in the military school. –Hux grunted- We were in the same class. –Rose smiled a little, it seemed difficult to imagine Hux sitting on a desk- He was the only one that seemed… tolerable.  
“Tolerable” was a big word for Hux to say, and Rose was starting to realize. She nodded again and smiled looking at her feet.  
-And what kind of attendant should go with the main guest of someone as Raj?. –she asked-   
-Most of his guests bring their partners. –Hux said with cold voice-  
Rose felt the words sinking into her brain and stood there, completely frozen and gripped his arm a bit stronger.  
-Does that mean that…?. –She looked at Hux with her face turning bright red- I have to be your partner as well?.  
-It would be the most reasonable thing. –he rumbled-  
“That’s why he was so quiet”, Rose thought to herself. Hux gave her a quick look, Rose’s face was completely flushed and her mouth was slightly open, she was completely lost. Hux laughed inside. Even with the embarrassment, a little part of his brain couldn’t help but think that she looked… pretty. Rose tossed her hair and pulled it behind one of her small ears.  
-All right, I ‘ll do it. – “She’s brave”, Hux thought, Rose felt that her hands were shaking, she swallowed and looked at Hux with burning cheeks- And how do I call you? I don’t even know if Hux is your full name, your surname, nickname…  
-It’s my surname. –he said- My full name is Armitage Hux.   
-And how should I behave?. –Rose inquired- Do I have to be crazy about you… or CRAZY about you?.  
-Excuse me?.  
-Crazy in the sense that “oh my God this man is so smart I love him”… -Rose whispered dramatically and looked at Hux with false adoration, but then she lifted a brow and put on a feline face- or CRAZY like “of my gosh this man is so hot I love him”.  
Hux choked on his own saliva and started coughing, he definitely didn’t see that coming.


	11. Muna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux and Rose finally make it to Muna, time to meet Raj.

-You are approaching the first vigilant post of the planet of Muna. –a mechanical voice said through the radio- Identify yourselves.  
-General Hux from the First Order. –he said to the microphone, Hux was standing up right behind Rose, his voice was sharp as a blade and his face was emotionless- Me and my soldier request permission to go through this post and the remaining four without interruptions.  
The mechanic voice stopped talking and Rose held her breath.   
-Welcome to Muna, general Hux. –said the robot- For protocol reasons I am obliged to ask you what sort of validation instrument you have in your possession to get access to Muna.  
-A private invitation from Raj Maar. –Hux’s voice was cold and authoritarian-   
The machine kept silent for a couple of seconds before talking again.  
-Petition accepted. –said the guardian, Rose let go a bit of air- You may come in, general Hux. Please use the fourth lane, it will take directly to the last post where soldiers will inspect the ship and ask you for the private invitation from lord Maar. Please do have it next to you. Have a nice day.  
The first patrolled ships made way for them to go on, Rose turned the wheel to the lane that the robot asked them to use and kept on moving. Rose could see the blue planet that Muna was and the different levels of security it had, “this is a bunker”, she thought. Her heart was beating really fast, her knees were shaking and her hands were cold. “Remember the plan”, she told to herself.  
Rose turned on the automatic pilot and the speed and looked out the cabinet. Her heart suddenly froze, someone that had never been to Muna wouldn’t had seen it, but the whole planet was protected with an enormous shield, and the only entrance and way out was a huge military custom with, at least, capacity for one hundred soldiers. There was when she realized how really dangerous this was turning. “The difficult part comes now”, Hux said few hours ago, Rose thought he was exaggerating, but damn it, he was right. Rose felt a cold sweat tripping down her nape and how the anxiety was starting to make breathing a really difficult task.   
After a few minutes, the ship arrived at the last vigilance post and stopped at the entrance. A huge hanger surrounded the small ship, pining it down. The ship shook a little and then a safe tube connected the entrance with the military post, Rose pressed a button and opened the gate to let the Troopers in.   
Rose stood up and walked to the wall to set firm with a military pose, making Hux the center of attention once the soldiers came in. Hux didn’t move an inch, he was completely stretched up with his shoulders back, making him taller than what he already was and his hands were on the small of his back, completely authoritarian and in charge of the situation. Hux was as calmed as usual, his blue eyes were cold as ice, his face had that emetic expression of his that made you wonder if he was really human. He made everything seemed like it this was normal, “for him this is normal”, Rose thought.   
Three Troopers came into the ship with their guns down, if any of them dared to slightly rise one of the canons towards Hux, he would have them sent to reconditioning. The Troopers made way for an official to inspect the ship, when the old man saw Hux, he didn’t even smile.  
-General Hux. –he said with a plain voice- Good to see that you are alive.  
-Officer. –he greeted-  
-I am afraid that we will have to see the invitation. –the officer said-  
Hux nodded and looked at Rose, he made a small gesture with his head and looked away. Rose obeyed straight away, without making unnecessary or sudden movements, she took Raj’s invitation and hand it to the officer in the most efficient and emotionless way without making eye contact.   
After that she walked backwards to her original position and waited. The officer read the paper several times to make sure that everything was correct. Then he took out a scanner and let the lector go up and down the paper.  
-Now it is registered. –the officer said- The invitation is for the general Armitage Hux and “another solider”. –he looked at Rose- I assume it is her.  
Hux turned around and faced him.  
-If you see anyone else in this ship apart from us, I beg you tell me, officer. –Hux spitted- If the invitation is registered, I suggest you letting us go through the shield. –he gave the officer an intense look- Unless you want to explain to Lord Maar why are you making his guests wait in the line like any other common ship.  
The officer gave Hux a poisoned gaze, but nodded and walked back to the post and the Troopers with him. Rose heard how the tube retracted as well as the hanger.   
-You got permission to go through the main gate. –the officer said through the radio- Lord Maar is waiting for you in hangar number five. Welcome to Muna, general Hux.  
The gate opened up and Rose switched on the engine, the ship crossed the entrance and the gate closed again. Rose and Hux shared a quick look but said nothing, “we made it”, Rose thought, she didn’t say it out loud though, the microphones were still open and the communication towers were listening. The ship went down the planet atmosphere and Rose drove to the district capital, admiring the huge buildings and skyscrapers that crowned the city center.  
An assistance droid appeared in front of them and Rose followed him to the hangar that they had been assigned. Hux was standing up behind her with the same pose and attitude than before, not saying anything and looking out the window. Rose could see the huge traffic that crossed the city, all the ships looked like ants moving in and out of the anthill, “now we are more ants in this colony”, she thought.  
Hux and Rose had designed a plan for when they arrived to Muna, and it was going good so far. Hux was back in his military, bossy and threatening attitude that he was used to use and that Rose knew quite well from the Destructor Base.   
When the assistance droid drove them into the heart of the city, Rose could really see the true dimensions of the urban center, and truth be told, it took her breath away. The skyscrapers reflected the sunlight, creating light games on the pavement and on the hanging gardens that grew on the windows. The ships and private vehicles that flew on the crowded streets were all brand new, making Rose wonder how much would they cost… and making her the most excited on her mechanical side, she loved searching about new technologies and new designs, so for her being in Muna was a huge opportunity to see them in person.  
The ride from the gate to hangar number five took them around forty minutes, Rose had to drive very slowly and the droid didn’t help either. The hangar in particular was at the top of one on the enormous towers of the city center, when Rose landed and switched off the engine, she looked at Hux and waited silently.  
-Open the gate. –he ordered in the same tone he used with the officer-  
Rose didn’t answer but did what she was told, Hux knew they were following a role but couldn’t help but feeling a bit… disappointed that Rose obeyed without complaining. He went out first, Hux needed to get out of the damn ship after almost two days there. He took a deep breath when he stepped out, the day was sunny and warm in Muna, the average weather for the time of the year. Rose followed him in silence and keeping a safety distance. A figure was waiting for them in the entrance of the hangar.  
Hux smiled a little.  
-Good afternoon, Raj. –he said-  
Rose looked at Raj and blinked, surprised. Raj was a young man, almost as tall as Hux, with tanned skin and black, curly hair. He was perfectly dressed with clothes that Rose didn’t want to know how much they cost. Raj gave Hux a huge smile with perfect, white teeth. He was really handsome and he knew it.   
Their host shook Hux’s hand and… hugged him. Rose held her breath, Hux flexed but answered the hug with a soft pat on his back. Rose was completely shocked. Hux. Answering back physical contact without running away. “Just like you walking together few hours ago”.  
-Good to see you, my friend. –Raj said smiling-  
-Good to see you too. –Hux nodded-  
-Off with that formality, Hux. –Raj complained- Safe that for your Troopers. –Hux smiled a little and Rose had to make a huge effort not to stare like an idiot-  
Raj’s smile grew and hugged his friend one more time.  
-I am so happy that you are here. –Raj continued- I couldn’t believe it when you called me… -he shook his head- but I knew you weren’t dead. Nah, you are too much for them.  
-I got some help. –Hux said-  
-Yeah, you mentioned… a solider?. –Raj inquired, Hux nodded- You have to tell me the whole story, I want to know what the Hell happened in that base.  
Raj started walking into the building, Hux looked at Rose over his shoulder and indicated her to follow him as well. Rose started walking, still keeping the distance, that was when Raj noticed her presence. At first he looked at her frowning, annoyed that a mere soldier followed him, but the he looked at Hux… and he didn’t see the same annoyance on his face.  
-Who are you, officer?. –Raj inquired-  
-Rose, sir. –she answer-  
-She is the soldier that helped me to escape. –Hux said-  
Raj lifted a brow and looked at Rose with brand new interest.  
-The other invitation. –Raj deduced, she nodded- And how did you help my old friend?.  
Rose looked at Hux searching for permission to speak, Hux give her a quick look but said nothing, she took it as a yes.  
-I would love to tell the story lord Maar. –she said in a solft voice- But this is not the place, I am afraid.  
-Excuse me?.-replied Raj, Hux gave him a warning look and denied with the head, Raj understood it in a second- Fine, follow me, I will lead you to the hotel, Hux.  
Raj walked inside the building and Hux and Rose followed him closely, Raj called the lift and the three of them went down to another hangar. Once they were in a private vehicle, Hux relaxed a little, Rose, on the other hand, was terrified to sit in such a ship, it smelled like it cost so much that her mere presence would break it.  
-This is a safe place, there aren’t any microphones. –Raj said, he fixed his green eyes on Rose- Now soldier, speak, it’s a long way.  
Hux also looked at her and crossed his arms, Rose felt the cold sweat on her hands but faced both men with determination, on the official record, she had done nothing wrong.  
-The rebels made the Main Destructor explode after hitting it with one of their ships at speed light… –she started-  
-What?. –Raj interrupted completely astonished- They hit the destructor at speed light?.  
Hux nodded, his face was becoming very dark.  
-Everything stopped working, -Rose continued- the engines started to crumble and to explode, creating a chain reaction in the main reactor. I ran to the escaping ships when I found general Hux unconscious on the floor with a concussion on his head and huge cut on his chest. –Rose gave Hux a quick look- I was able to drag him into the ship and escaping before the main reactor made its final blow-up.   
Hux gave Rose a concerned look and then looked at Raj.   
-And how is that that you were on the floor, Armie?. –Raj asked-  
A muscle flexed in his jaw.  
-That is the problem, lord Maar. –Rose answered- The nurse droid from the ship deduced that someone stroke him. –Rose swallowed- Someone tried to murder general Hux.  
Raj sat back and looked at them, he was really confused.  
-Now I see why you didn’t want to speak, Armie. –he deduced, Hux nodded again and Raj looked at Rose- Who are you, Rose?.  
-I was the mechanical boss of the engines three and eight. –she answered- I was in charge of electricity flow and piece coordination.  
-The ones closer to the main reactor. –Raj added, Rose nodded- And you are here because you want to find out who tried to murder you, I assume. -Hux and Rose shared a concerned look and Raj put a hand on Hux’s shoulder- Fine, Armie, I am at your entire disposition for whatever it is that you need.  
-Thank you, Raj. –he greeted-  
Raj looked at Rose and smiled.  
-Thank you for saving my annoying friend, Rose. –he said and Rose looked down with a shy smirk- This is the best time of the year to be in Muna, Armie. –Raj continued- Use the time that you are here to relax and to find out who did this, I will help you as much as I can. –Hux frowned and kept quiet- I hope that you can find some company for the time that you are here.  
A dense silence installed in Raj’s private ship, Rose looked at her feet and felt the heat on her cheeks, Hux pinched the bridge of his nose.  
-Speaking of that… -Hux murmured with a voice that pretended to be calmed- She is my company.  
Raj looked at them with wide opened ayes and Rose wished that the earth swallowed her.  
-Oh. –Raj said as a whole answer-


	12. Hotel Room Service

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coexistence is not always easy, especially if you have to deal with remorse.  
> "-Rose, I must insist".

Rose tried not to panic when the assistant led them to their room and opened the door. Not only it was huge, it had one huge crystal wall that offered the view of the whole city but the damn “room” was two floors. Two. Damn. Floors. “This room is a whole damn apartment”, Rose thought. The assistant walked them through and explained where everything was and the different types of services they could have access to and Rose was more and more shocked, “this is what rich people normally have?, damn I stink in poor”.  
When the assistant left after wishing them to enjoy Muna and to have a good time, Rose looked at her reflection in the mirror of the corridor, “now I understand why the poor man didn’t want to look at me”, Rose thought, blushing. She didn’t recognize herself. “Damn”, she thought, her uniform was wrinkled and dirty, it even had some dark drops that Rose thought that would be Hux’s blood when she dragged him; it wasn’t even her size and looked ridiculous on it, she needed one size less, the boots were her own, at least she could save that. Her hair was in a shaggy pony tail that begged for a shower… but the smell though. The hotel room smelled fresh and clean and Rose was ten thousand percent sure that she smelled like peroxide, old blood and engine oil with some notes of burnt Destructor. “I don’t belong here”.  
She looked around to the “room”, every color moved in a range of cream and soft whites, making everything very cozy and charming. Rose had to admit that it was extremely beautiful, all the furniture was delicate and soft, almost looking like a dollhouse. “And I am the whole opposite of a doll”.  
They had a whole living room next to the crystal wall with a sofa that Rose first thought it was a bed, several cushions and one blanket, in front of it there was a huge TV screen. They even had a full equipped kitchen and a bathroom, Rose sighted, she even was scared of walking through the carpets, she would ruin them with her muddy boots.  
What really scared her was to think how much a single night would cost. Rose sighted, maybe they could search for something more affordable for the next few days, because she didn’t know for how long they should stay... Rose covered her face with her hands, this world was completely different from hers.  
Hux was on the second floor, Rose heard him walking. With her heart pumping like crazy, Rose went upstairs to see the rest of the room. The second floor had a huge bathroom with a bath that looked like a swimming pool, a shower with a glass curtain and huge mirrors over the sinks, all marble and golden; all in all, that bathroom as expensive as a brand new ship.  
Speaking of boujee.  
Then Rose turned around and she saw a door between the bedroom and the bathroom, a smaller room with no windows? That was weird… Rose switched on the lights to see it… nope, it wasn’t a room, it was a closet. Rose lost her breath a little, a huge ass closet that was bigger than her bedroom in the Resistance headquarters, three of the walls had hangers, drawers and shelves with led lights inside to see every piece of clothes that you would hand and, in the middle of the room, there was a huge chest of drawers to display jewelry, sunglasses and watches and two more bookshelves just for the shoes. Rose look at the whole thing with widen eyes, how many clothes did people bring to this planet? Were they so many that they needed a whole room just for them?.  
Speaking of bedrooms, so far, in that big apartment, because in Rose’s mind it wasn’t a hotel room, it was an apartment, she couldn’t see any beds.  
A cold sweat started to wet her palms.  
Rose walked out very slowly and went to the only black figure in the whole space. Hux was laying against the white wall and pinching his nose, Rose didn’t like the sound of that silence with all the implications it had. With all of her fears very close to become a reality, she walked into the master’s bedroom.  
Of course.  
Of-fucking-course.  
Rose looked at Hux with burning red cheeks. Hux just shook his head and Rose could swear that she heard Hux’s thought of “why me”. Rose swallowed and look at the only bed there was in the whole room. Truth be told, it was huge and seemed really comfortable.  
-Well, -Rose said with a smile- it is so big that even if you did a backflip, I wouldn’t notice it.  
Hux gave her an intense look of “I am not in the mood for jokes”, Rose shook her head.  
-Don’t worry general, -she kept on going- I was planning on sleeping on the sofa and I even have a bathroom downstairs, keep the bed.  
Hux looked at the bed and the looked at Rose and frowned his lips, on one hand, he felt relieved that Rose said that she was going to sleep on the other side of the room, but on the other hand, he felt… not bad, but maybe uncomfortable.  
-But I think we have a problem. –she said, Hux lifted a brow- We have no luggage and the only clothes we have are covered in dirt.  
-They have left a couple of bed clothes in that drawer. –Hux pointed at the drawer in particular- We can use that while they get these ready. –he suggested-  
-Not a bad idea, -Rose nodded- but I don’t think we should go out with either some pyjamas or military uniforms, giving ourselves away. -Hux groaned, she was right. -There is a computer in the living room, I think we should arrange something to get new clothes.  
Hux looked at the floor and sighted.  
-We should arrange something. –he agreed-  
-Fine, -smiled Rose- I would love to discuss this further, general Hux, but first I need a shower, I smell like an old engine.  
Rose went to the drawer that Hux mentioned and pulled out the smallest pyjama she found and a towel.  
-If you may excuse me. –she said-  
Rose smiled and went downstairs to the other bathroom, leaving Hux alone with his own thoughts. And his thoughts were really disturbed. Hux didn’t want to get too cheerful too soon, but the fact that they were there in Muna, in the best place in the whole district was already a remarkable thing. “And most of this is thank to her”, Hux thought, Rose had decided that she would play the role of a chief mechanic during presentations to explain her presence in the Destructor, but Hux was almost one hundred percent sure that she was something more than just a mechanic in the Resistance. Rose’s brain and intelligence were as fast as they were creative and accurate, creating a whole story and strategy based of just small pieces and smoke. Hux walked through the corridor, just like in the escaping ship; it was his thinking mechanism.  
The fact that a woman like her was in the Resistance was admirable, “if she was in the First Order she would have apposition just like mine”, Hux thought. He wouldn’t say this out loud, but the plan that Rose had designed for them to sneak into Muna was brilliant, Hux didn’t know many people capable of coming up with such a task in such a short period of time, “she created everything within hours”, Hux shook his head. If there was something that Hux used to use to measure his liking on people, it was their intelligence and creativity.  
And to Hux’s shame, Rose had passed the text with excellent results.  
She was even willing to help him to find out who had tried to murder him. Hux felt more and more uncomfortable, he had to loosen his scarf, why was he feeling like that?.

Rose locked the door and rested against it for a couple of seconds closing her eyes and letting the silence invade her. With mechanic movements, she took off all her clothes without looking at herself on the huge mirror, she didn’t want to see her tired face again. With a sight, Rose opened the shower, allowing the initial cold water flow and waiting for the hot one. Once it got warmer, she got inside and let go a soft moan when the water caressed her skin. She let the water cover her like a blanket, seeing how all the dust and dirt started to go down the drain. Rose grabbed the shampoo bottle and started working the gel on her hair, massaging it with her fingers to make sure she was cleaning in depth.  
She couldn’t help but thinking about her situation and how she got there. Rose didn’t know if it was the water that was undoing the tight knots on her back from the long hours sitting on the driver seat in the ship, or the fact that, for the first time in almost a week, she was completely alone. And in that case she was alone in a planet she knew nothing about working with one of her biggest enemies. Rose felt the tears coming down her eyes and she didn’t try to stop them, on the contrary, she covered her face with her hands and let all the anxiety and fear she had been bottling up go away.  
She only hoped that Hux couldn’t hear her.

Hux also went into the shower. While the water warmed up, Hux took off his coat, scarf and shirt. Hux looked at his reflection on the mirror and the man that looked back at him didn’t look like the Hux he was used to see: his under eyes were particularly dark, his beard was starting to grow back after almost two days of not shaving, his forehead still had very small hints of the cut; but really was remarkable was how tired he really looked, overall. Hux then look at his chest, he touched the skin where the huge cut had been only hours ago. There was only a small trace as a remaining of the attack.  
Hux felt a spark of anger grow inside of him, the mere thought of someone trying to murder him made his blood burn. With a sight, he stretched back and he looked how his shoulders went back to their original position, he twisted his neck a little to let go of some of the tension he had in his muscles.  
Hux got under the shower of the ridiculously big bathroom and let the water hit him. Hux moaned a little higher than he expected, gosh, his back really hurt and he really needed the relief of solitude and time for himself. Hux couldn’t picture the last time he was alone, completely alone. “Too long”, he thought, Hux let the hot water clean all the remains of the peroxide and medicines that Rose had used, as well as the rests of the dry blood that still were trapped in his hair.  
Hux closed the water and started to wash his hair, working the foam very carefully, he didn’t want to pull the skin, when he heard something. He stopped and paid attention, was it Rose? Yes, it was Rose and those were… sobs? Yeah, definitely those were sobs. Rose was crying just few meters away from him.  
Under other circumstances he wouldn’t have even bothered, what more, he would have even got angry, but, unconsciously, he thought of the droid’s short video of Rose saving him and Hux felt a lash of… remorse. Rose had put herself to the limit the moment she decided that his life was worth saving, even though he had sentenced her to death. Hux swallowed and the knot on his throat became bigger.  
She was there determined to fulfill her mission and saving her name, as well as giving him the chance to discover who had tried to murder him. “And for that she had to go through Hell and back”, he thought. It was true that he had seen and done horrible things, but being on Rose’s place… that must have been hard in those circumstances. He wasn’t alone, he had Raj and the Council, his position and his power; Rose, on the other hand, had nothing, nothing except for his promise of help.  
Hux finished showering with a spark of determination and hating himself for a quick moment. Hux threw on the clothes that the hotel had let them and packed his uniform in a bag and walked downstairs. Rose had finished as well and Hux couldn’t help but exanimating her face in search for the evidence of her crying.  
But Rose was good at concealing her emotions and she looked fine. Well, fine under the robe that was several sizes bigger than her. But that wasn’t the only thing that Hux noticed, he noticed that she was wearing her hair down and it was longer than it first seemed like... and that she looked completely different from the ship. She looked more human without all the dirt and dust… and way more beautiful. Rose looked at him as he walked down.  
-Hey. –she smiled- I put my clothes in a bag as well. I was going to call the room service…  
Hux was faster, without saying nothing, he picked up the phone and did the job. Rose blinked with confused, Hux looked different, and she wasn’t talking about dressing white instead of black. A knock on the door told them that the service was there, Hux took Rose’s bag and handed it to the poor assistant and gave him the instructions before shutting the door one more time.  
-Okey… -Rose murmured, Hux was giving her a very strange look and Rose was starting to get worried- Om, how are you?, your injuries…?  
-They are fine. –Hux cut her, Rose frowned and Hux sighted- Barely noticeable. –he added more softly-  
-Good. –she said-  
Rose looked away and started walking to the sofa.  
-Under other circumstances I would love to eat, but I am exhausted. –she confessed- I haven’t slept in almost two days.  
-You did not manage to any sleep in the ship?. –Hux asked confused-  
Rose shook her head in denial.  
-There was only one stretcher. –she said slowly- I had to “sleep” on the driver seat, and, to be honest, it wasn’t very comfortable.  
A muscle flexed on Hux’s jaw, her consideration was crossing limits he wasn’t expecting. He wouldn’t have done that for anyone; “we’re not the same”, he thought.  
If he let Rose sleep on the sofa, then he was the cold bastard everyone thought he was.  
-Rose. –he said stopping her, she turned around, surprised to hear her name instead of just “woman” or “rebel”, Hux looked down with a sight.  
-Yes?. –she asked, again, very softly-  
Hux ran his hand through his hair and Rose swore that he was blushing.  
-I don’t want you to sleep on the sofa. –he declared, Rose lifted her brows- You are correct, that bed is so big that if one moves, the other will not even notice it.  
-I’ll be fine. –she smiled, Hux narrowed his eyes, she really was tired- I don’t care, and I don’t think that you would like to have me anywhere close beyond… this. –she pointed outside the window-  
Hux understood the reference and he got a little angry that she could read him so well in such sort period of time. She was really smart.  
-Rose, I must insist. –Hux said with determination-  
“The first time I am asking a woman to sleep with me”, Hux thought completely embarrassed. Rose looked at the sofa with a concerned face, then she looked at him. She bit her lip and Hux thought that with her hair down and biting her lips, she was really something else. “Hux, stop”.  
-Okay. –she accepted with pink cheeks and pulling her hair on the back of her ears- I will sleep with you.  
Saying it out loud felt like sealing a deal. Rose slowly started walking upstairs with that stupid big robe on and went straight to the bed. Hux also thought that she would need a lot of clothes for the next days; just like him. He looked at his feet, shopping seemed like a nightmare, but it will have to wait. Hux was really exhausted as well.  
He went upstairs again and, even if it was early noon, he found Rose deep asleep in one corner of the huge bed, her breathing was deep and constant. Hux looked at her before surrounding the bed and pulling up the blankets, when he got inside, he looked at her again, giving him the back, her long black hair was spread across the pillow. “She really is something else”, Hux thought; he wasn’t expecting to fall asleep as quickly as he did, but, few minutes later, both, general and rebel, were sleeping like children on the same huge bed, a couple of feet apart.


	13. Tea and coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "-How did you know that I prefer tea?"

Rose was the first one to wake up. At first she felt a little bit lost, she didn’t know where she was, not that she cared, she was way too comfortable. Rose hugged the pillow a little bit tighter covered her head with the blanket, everything was so soft and she was so tired… She felt asleep again. The second try Rose opened one eye was more aware of the situation. She tried to focus on the small clock that was on the bed-table, it was almost half past ten in the morning. Rose closed her eyes again with a happy smile, she had slept more than twelve hours.  
She scratched her eyes and stretched out with a soft moan, still under the blankets. That bed was really cozy and she was completely at peace, her tiredness was gone after a full night of rest.  
A full night of sharing bed.  
Rose woke up completely, “Shit”, she thought, Hux had convinced her of sharing the huge bed after all, “he didn’t have to push you too hard, though”, a voice said in her mind. Rose laid back on the pillow, truth be told, she was so tired and her brain had the same consistency as butter, so Hux had it easy to convince her. “Today I will sleep on the sofa”, she told herself, although the beg was actually huge. Rose was sure that whatever move Hux made, she wouldn’t be able to even feel it. At some point Rose took off the robe and threw it away, hoping that she wouldn’t wake up Hux in the process, the room was too warm to wear so many layers.  
Speaking of the devil… Rose had a flashback of her sister: “Do you know when you go to bed all tidy and put together… and then in the morning one of your tits is out? Cause that’s my life”. With a panic access, Rose hurried up and looked underneath the blanket to make sure that the pyjama was still in place, because it wouldn’t be first time that something like that happened to her. With a sight, she sat back. Nothing to worry about.  
Rose then turned around to look at Hux with flushed cheeks, the general was still deep asleep, his face was calmed and all that coolness that always surrounded him was completely gone. His orange hair, normally styled with hair gel, was messy over his forehead, making him look younger and way less aggressive. There was also a shadow of beard growing, just as bright as his head. Rose smiled a little, Hux looked like a completely different person when he was sleeping and he was… really handsome.  
Rose shook her head and, very slowly, got out of the bed, she didn’t want to wake him up. Barefoot, she walked downstairs and had a look around her, she couldn’t believe that they had made it to Muna and that they were staying in such a place. With a smile, Rose went to have a look at the kitchen, she was starving. She started to investigate through the different cupboards, she found plenty of cups, mugs and dishes, almost like a real house. She also found several types of coffee and tea. With a smile, Rose picked one mug and switched on both the coffee machine and the kettle. While they warmed up she called Reception and asked for the breakfast.  
-Could you please bring it to our room?. –she asked-  
-Of course madam. –said the assistant-  
Few moments later with a coffee on her hands, Rose opened the door to a droid that brought a huge tray with a bit of everything sweet and savory. Rose thanked the droid and sat on one of the stools of the kitchen isle and started eating, leaving half of each plate for Hux.  
Rose knew that they were not in Muna for fun and they should start investigating and deciding their next move. With a sip, Rose turned on the laptop that she saw the previous night, she wanted to see the news and make some research. The tabs from the browser were like the tabs on her brain with the different needs that were raising as Rose started to fully wake up: they needed clothes as soon as possible, the First Order uniforms were too obvious and attention calling. She should better start looking at clothes websites and writing down sizes and prices. That last part made Rose the most uncomfortable, Muna was not precisely cheap considering the life quality of the people who lived there, and it showed in every aspect of the stores she had a look at. “My bank account is going to suffer a lot”, Rose thought.  
Just for science, Rose searched the hotel they were staying in and searched their room.  
Rose’s eyes opened wide open and almost screamed. “Holy shit”, she thought looking at the screen. She closed that tab and went back to the other webs she was looking at, hoping that she would forget the huge number that appeared in front of her.  
Rose was eating as she scrolled through the Muna’s news webpages when she looked up and saw Hux’s tall figure coming down the stairs. Rose smiled over her fork, Hux’s hair was completely messy and he was barefoot as well. Rose sipped again with a smile, who would have thought that she would ever live to see almighty general Hux freshly woken up.  
-Good morning. –she said, Hux looked at her frowning and nodded, Rose’s smile grew, he wasn’t a morning person- You got boiling water in the kettle and several types of tea.  
Hux kept silent but went to the cupboard and picked a mug that was on one of the highest shelves and poured some of the boiling water in it, Rose watched him with some degree of envy, not even with a chair she would have reached that mug. Hux chose one tea bag and sat in front of her, looking down on his mug and picking one of the plates. Rose kept on sipping coffee and eating in silence, still smiling and looking at the screen.  
-Good morning. –he said after a few minutes with a rusty voice-  
Rose let go a little laugh.  
-Did you sleep well?. –she asked-  
Hux nodded and sipped from his mug. Rose went back to updating herself, Hux finished all the food that Rose had left for him and had a look, searching for more.  
-I am going to call and ask reception for a second round. –he declared, his voice was still deep, but better than few minutes ago- Do you fancy anything?.  
Rose tossed her chin.  
-Honestly, I would love some waffles. –she said-  
Hux stood up and did the call, he took his mug, threw away the tea bag and re filled it with more water. Rose smiled again as she saw him going for a second round of tea, she knew he preferred it over coffee, she didn’t know why, but she knew it. The knock on the door told them that the second round of breakfast was served and ready, Hux picked everything and handed Rose a plate with a huge golden waffle.  
-Enjoy your meal. –she said-  
That morning Rose learnt that Hux ate a lot and that he didn’t like sweet things because he was leaving aside all the pastries and the sweet toppings. Rose also went for a second round of coffee, both ate in silence, Hux was still lost in his own thoughts and Rose really amused with the situation.  
-How did you know that I wanted tea?. –Hux asked-  
Rose looked at him over the laptop and shook her head with a smile.  
-You don’t look like a coffee person. –she said-  
Hux lifted a brow and sipped, Rose laughed softly.  
-You find this funny?. –he asked again-  
Rose laughed a little louder and Hux felt confused. Why was she laughing and why did she look so pretty?.  
-How did you find the bed?. –Rose commented apparently innocent, Hux’s ears flushed and he frowned his lips- Because I found it extremely comfortable and cozy.  
-It was nice, I assume. –he murmured sipping from the mug-  
Rose bit her lip as she minimized the open tabs she had on the dashboard.  
-Can we talk already?. –Rose asked with kind eyes-  
-What do you mean?. –he inquired putting the mug down-  
Rose shrugged her shoulders.  
-You don’t look like the type of person who likes speaking in the mornings. –she commented-  
Hux cursed inside, damn, how many things had she found out about him?.  
-Go ahead. –he hissed-  
Rose laid her elbows on the table and rested her chin on the palm of one of her hands.  
-I had a look at the hotel’s website. –Rose gave Hux a worried look- And I won’t say out loud how much does a single night cost in this room... –she spinned her finger pointing at the whole space- without the breakfast.  
Hux reclined on his stool and smirked.  
-What were you expecting?. –he said- We are in Muna and we are Raj’s guests.  
Rose frowned her lips.  
-Shouldn’t we, at least, thank him?. –she suggested-  
-Indeed. –he nodded- We should call him and arrange a meeting with him at some point.  
-I agree with you. –Rose said- But I think that there are some things that we should do before that. –her voice was firm-  
Rose then stood up and went to the coffee machine for the third round. Hux looked at his own mug, gave it the last sip and imitated Rose. Once the two of them had their drinks ready, they went back to the table, Rose added a couple of spoons of sugar and Hux added some milk.  
They shared a look, Rose took a deep breath and started talking.  
-As far as I think that we should be thanking Raj for letting us in, -she began- I think that we should create our own scenario where we can start working and investigate prior to talking to anyone. –Hux looked at her and said nothing- Now that we are in, let’s say, “the second stage of our plan” –Rose moved her fingers in the air to emphasize her words- we need to start pulling threads and new cards on the table. –Rose pointed at the computer- I’ve reading all the newspapers available in Muna to see how much information they are dropping about the Destructor.  
-Let me guess, -smirked Hux- not much.  
-Exactly. –Rose’s eyes were severe and her voice determined- Every newspaper says pretty much the same things, only with different words and pictures of the ship. –Rose gave a sip to her mug- That makes me think that whether they don’t want people to know what is going on, or they don’t even know it yet themselves.  
-I would go for a mixture of the two. –Hux pointed- They must be close to the main computer right now and I bet that they are crossing their fingers to find it intact.  
Rose nodded and let go a little “hmph”, she looked at the content of her mug, frowning and biting her lip, she was thinking.  
-How is your memory?. –she asked- Still foggy?. –Hux blinked slowly, that was a yes- I thought so. –Rose sighted and laid back on the stool- We should start investigating on our own. If we had a full list of the crew, I think it would be too much, too many names. –Rose looked at Hux, sparks were coming out of her almond eyes- But I think if we had names or workers that might have been close to you in your work area and in the surroundings where you were in the moment of the attack, it would be much easier. –Hux narrowed his eyes, he saw her point- Another option is considering if there was a price on your head, -Rose bit her finger- but considering who you are I am sure that it is certain.  
-There is a bounty for me, dead or alive. –Hux confessed- But the risk is too high.  
-Depends on the bounty. –Rose remarked- And depends on the system we are talking about. That might be another line of investigation…  
-But I doesn’t make much sense. –Hux shook his head- Why knock me out and leave me there?.  
Rose frowned and grabbed her mug tightly.  
-Maybe he thought that he could get to you later. –she suggested-  
-No. –Hux declared- If that was the case he would have attacked you the moment you showed up. –Rose sighted, that was true- The bounty hunter theory doesn’t make much sense for now… -Hux suddenly stopped, narrowed his eyes and gave Rose an intense gaze- unless someone hired him.  
Rose nodded, that was also a possibility.  
-Maybe he wanted to leave you there to die and make it look like an accident. –Rose murmured-  
Hux tossed his chin, that could also be true.  
-We need to find the list of the hangar workers. –Hux declared- We need to get inside the case.  
-And also we need to think about the tracking system. –Rose pointed out- We have the two fronts open.  
-To get there we need to get into the Head Quarters first. –Hux said- And the one who can give us the access is Raj.  
Rose nodded and sipped from her mug.  
-Then I think we should call him. –she suggested-  
Hux smirked and nodded as well. Rose smiled, they had a plan and they had a strategy. She laid back one more time and Hux did the same. They shared a look and a comfortable silence full of secrets and manipulation. Rose lifted her mug by the handle and smiled.  
-Cheers. –she said-  
-Cheers. –Hux answered putting his mug up-  
They both drank the remaining of their mugs and smile. Hux couldn’t believe how easy making plans with Rose was. She was so smart and so intelligent and his brain found that intelligence extremely attractive. “Maybe we should have met earlier”.


	14. Shopping is my cardio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and Hux must start moving and going out to investigar Muna. But for that they need clothes.  
> "What type of underwear are talking about?".

-Good morning, Raj. –said Hux with a smile-  
-Hi there, Armie, good morning Rose.   
-Good morning. –she smiled shyly-  
Raj was sitting in his office and laughed when he saw Hux’s messy hair.  
-You look fantastic.  
-Thank you. –Hux replied with a smirk-  
-No, I mean it. –Raj’s smile grew- I don’t remember the last time I saw you without your hair glued to your head. And without shaving.  
Hux laughed a little in a puff and tossed his spikey chin.  
-I will have to fix that. –he commented-  
-Nah, -Raj shook his head- you look almost human.  
-Thank you. –he said sarcastically-   
-That pyjama also looks great on you, by the way. –Raj kept on teasing him- Is it from the last runway?.  
-Last trend in escaping ships. –Hux smirked-  
-And what about the bed, Armie?. –Raj inquired- Did your feet stick out?.  
Hux gave him a poisonous look.  
-I had to crawl a little, being honest. –he smiled- This hotel of yours is truly awful, I thought you said “the best hotel in town”.  
Raj laughed a little, Rose was still sitting on the stool and was enjoying every second of the conversation, someone else teasing Hux was truly a show to enjoy; and also, Hux could be really witty.  
-Speaking of the best… -Raj said- Did you have any luggage?.  
Hux and Rose shared a concerned look.  
-No, we don’t. –Hux denied- The only clothes we had are in the laundry service.  
-You need to go shopping. –Raj declared-  
-In pyjama?. –Hux smiled-  
-That would be really fun to see. –Raj laughed- All glitter shoes, huh?.  
Hux narrowed his eyes.  
-Shut up.  
Raj laughed louder and Rose lifted a brow surprised, glitter?, shoes?.   
-But no, sadly it isn’t an option. –murmured Raj smiling-   
-What type of clothes do we need, Raj?. –Rose asked-   
-A bit of everything. –he answered shaking his head- Casual, elegant… I’m sending you my assistant to help you with the online shopping.  
Rose bit her lip and Hux lifted a brow.  
-And… regarding the hotel… -Rose started-  
-Ah, don’t worry, -smiled Raj- you have that room all for yourselves for the next week and a half, if you need more time just tell me, I will extend the booking.  
Rose’s brain made numbers of how much money that would be considering what she had seen on the hotel’s website and looked at Raj with wide open eyes and mouth.  
-Raj, that is…-she rambled-  
-That’s fantastic Raj. –Hux cut her- Thank you very much. -Hux gave her a warning look and told her to remain silent with just his eyes- When can we meet?, are you free before that party of yours on Wednesday?.  
Raj tossed his chin and frowned, thinking.  
-Tomorrow night. –he said- At my place.  
-Perfect. –nodded Hux- At what time?.  
Raj shrugged his shoulders.  
-Whenever.  
-Thank you Raj. –said Hux- You’re a good friend.  
-I wanna hear that after drinking three shots, Armie, not before. –Raj smiled and Hux’s face froze-  
Rose was smiling all the way, she definitely didn’t see Hux drinking anything that wasn’t the morning tea. Raj ended the call, Rose and Hux were alone one more time. Rose had a naughty smile and was trying very hard not to laugh. Hux gave her a cold gaze and Rose put her palms in the air meaning peace, stood up and walked around the living room, giving Hux some space. Hux looked at the table, the phone and the empty mug, he tossed his hair one more time and sighted.  
Rose looked outside the window, put her hands on her hips and shook her head, still smiling but concerned.  
-Why did look at me like that when Raj mentioned the hotel?.-she asked softly-  
-Because you were really close of making him extremely angry. –he answered standing up and taking the mug to the sink-   
Rose turned around frowning and confused.  
-How is that?. –she inquired-  
Hux puffed and smile a little.  
-In Muna there is a custom that the host is the one covering all the expenses of their guests. –he said laying against the sink- And if you had suggested paying for anything, Raj would have taken it as a personal offense because you are implying that what he is offering you is not good enough.  
Rose opened her mouth and look at Hux completely confused, she blinked and bit her lip.  
-Even if it is paying for this expensive ass hotel? –Rose opened her arms and Hux lifted one brow- For one week and a half?. –she puffed as well- And the clothes?, the shoes?, he is going to pay for all the things we are going to need?.  
-He will pay up to the last credit. –Hux smirked- And he will do it happily.  
-Why?. –Rose was really confused- This is going to be expensive as Hell.  
-Because if Raj lived five hundred lives he would have time to spend all the money he and his family has. –Hux explained, he almost felt bad for Rose, she was really uncomfortable and didn’t know what was going on and relaxed his tone- I told you on the ship, Raj is one of the richest and wealthiest people in Muna, having us here and paying for every single detail we may need, even if it was for a whole month in this same room, will not make a dent in his numbers.   
Rose frowned her lips, pulled her hair up and made a quick bun, she rolled her sleeves and walked around the living room.   
-So we have to let Raj pay for everything. –Rose said, Hux looked at her walking up and down and nodded, Rose put her hands back on her hips and shook her head- Fine, let’s beat this horse.  
In that moment someone knocked on the door, Rose looked at Hux, alert, Rose flexed and Hux walker slowly to open up. He looked through the screen before making any move.  
-It must be Raj’s assistant. –he murmured-  
When Hux opened the door, a blonde and spectacular woman was there. Rose widen her eyes and Hux narrowed his, she definitely didn’t see that coming. Hux adopted his really cold attitude that most of people used to see him using and Rose just could stare at her like an idiot.  
-Good morning lady and gentleman. –she said with a perfect voice- I am Lord Maar’s personal assistant, my name is Lora, I am here to help you choose all it is that you need to go about your day in Muna.  
The general and the rebel shared a look but let her in. Rose flushed, they both wearing a pyjama that wasn’t even theirs, they were barefoot and looking like a hot mess. Rose didn’t know what impression she was making on that beautiful assistant, but sure it wasn’t the best.   
-Hello Lora. –she stuttered- I am Rose, nice to meet you.  
She gave Rose a perfect smile that made Rose feel extremely simple and basic. She wasn’t elegant, tall and as good looking as that assistant, or any of the girls and women he had seen in the last few hours and, under other circumstances she wouldn’t have paid attention, but she was paying attention. And a lot.  
-Nice to meet you, miss. –Lora smiled and Rose felt a sudden smell of poor, and yes, it was her-  
Hux look at the assistant and then he looked at Rose, and he saw how Rose was clearly uncomfortable with that woman in the living room and he wanted to call Raj and send her back, but he knew he shouldn’t. Hux took a deep breath and stretched up, holding his hands on his back.  
-Um, we need some assistance with some shopping. –said Rose pulling her hair on the back of her ears- Where to shop, the sizes…  
-Perfect. –Lora said without losing her perfect smile- Online shopping, I have been told. –Rose nodded and crossed her arms on her chest, Lora looked at both of them- With whom do I start?.   
Hux was as cold as usual, not willing to collaborate, so Rose took the advantage. She knew she wasn’t up to the beauty standards she had seen in Muna, but she was on the most important mission of her life and the success depended on her. Rose smiled with a degree of confidence that she wished she had in real life and threw on her professional face.  
-With me. –Rose said smiling- I must confess that it’s been quite a long time from our last trip to Muna. –Rose looked first at Hux with a smile, then she looked at Lora and invited her to sit on the living room table- We need an update of the trends. Because I am afraid that this pj is really cute, but not enough to go out.  
Lora smiled and sat next to Rose and she offered the assistant the laptop. Hux was looking from the distance and smirked to himself, the speed that Rose had to put on a perfect face and keep rolling with the plan was really good.  
-I trust your decisions and I am ready. –Rose said-  
Lora’s smile grew and almost seemed like the one of a shark when she started opening tabs with different websites. Rose looked over her to have a quick look at Hux, he had that sphinx expression that showed no emotion at all, she gave him a smile of “don’t worry”. Hux’s eyes became even colder, but turned around and walked upstairs.   
-Rose, can I ask you some questions?. –Lora said with a soft, professional voice-   
-Of course. –Rose answered with the same voice-  
-What is your style?. –she inquired- Do you prefer tight clothes, comfortable, more chic, daring…  
Rose tossed her chin and revised all the clothes she would wear when she wasn’t working. Being honest, it wasn’t much, but she made came up with the style she thought suited her better.  
-I prefer something comfortable. –Rose declared- Something that I can rock without thinking too much, but also cute and sexy. –she puffed with a little laugh- I love to walk through the streets and stare at my own reflection and think “you look amazing today”. That is my style.  
Lora gave her a confident smile and nodded with approval.  
-The best style a woman can have. –she said- So, confidence in a bottle, but going places. Metaphorical and literally speaking.  
Rose nodded.  
-Exactly. –she smiled- By the way, I am going to need underwear as well. –Rose gave Lora an embarrassed look- We lost the luggage.   
Lora’s eyes sparked with joy.  
-What underwear we are talking about?. –Lora had a quick look upstairs and Rose’s heart started beating really fast-   
“Shit”, Rose thought, Hux was her partner in the plan. In more than one sense. Rose swallowed and looked at her hands with a shy smile.  
-Comfortable, pretty… -she looked upstairs as well with a naughty smile- and so sexy that will make you check twice.  
Lora licked her lip looking at the screen, she was a shark about to attack her pray and she was enjoying every second of it.   
-We love a confident woman. –she declared- Could you please stand up?. –Lora asked- I have to measure you.  
Rose obeyed and let the assistant seize her on her chest, waist, hips, legs and even her feet. Then she made some quick clicks and showed her all the different tabs with all the clothes that described exactly what Rose had said. “She is really good”, Rose thought, and since it wasn’t her who was paying… She told Lora to add to the bag all the styles and options she suggested, accessories included.  
-I want a comfortable pyjama and clothes just to stay here. –Rose pointed out-  
-Would you like to add anything to style your hair?. –Lora asked politely adding to the cart what Rose just asked-  
Rose undid the messy bun she was wearing and let her soft, black and straight hair down. She passed her fingers through it and sighted.  
-Yeah, -she nodded- something to give it more volume and dimension. I normally wear ponytails and bund at work, but I love styling it when I go out.  
It wasn’t a lie, whenever Rose and her department friends had the chance to go out she always dedicated time to her hair and her appearance, she loved her job, but the mechanic uniform was definitely just that. It gave you no shape and made you feel more like a bag, rather than a person. Thinking about her friends and the Resistance made Rose wanted to cry, but she smiled instead. Lora opened another tab with hair styling tools and showed Rose the options and she chose straighteners that allowed her to create curls and waves.

Rose walked upstairs to find a general Hux walking around the corridor and the master’s bedroom like a caged lion. Rose gave him a calming look and sat on the bed.  
-Your turn. –she said- I am pretty much done and we are waiting for the packages to arrive. It should take around five-teen minutes.  
Hux said nothing but looked at the stairs with mistrust.  
-Hey, -she murmured- it’s your friend’s assistant, you said we have to roll with this. Besides, -Rose gave Hux a confident look- we are a happy couple who are here to visit Raj and we have no clothes.  
Hux closed his eyes and then he gave Rose a mysterious look. He started to walk downstairs and Rose waited patiently. 

One hour later the living room was full with packages, Lora left and Rose and Hux started to move their brand new clothes to the huge room-closet they had next to the bedroom. Rose opened up her boxes and started to organize everything in the different shelves and hangers. It took them almost one more hour.  
-Shall we get dressed properly and go out for a walk?. –Rose suggested- To see what we can do and taste the waters.   
Hux gave her a long stare but nodded. Rose chose a quick outfit and went to the bathroom to change. She was more than happy to get rid of that crappy pyjama and wear clothes of her size: she chose a high-waisted jeans that made her look fantastic, a blouse with a beautiful cleavage and a blazer. She brushed her hair and turned on the straighteners, she was going to make something with that hair of hers.

Hux had decided to go for the clothes that he wouldn’t normally wear. He always used his military uniform, all black and severe, so he decided to go for something more informal to confuse the people around him. Hux had been thinking about his hair and beard since the moment Raj told him that he looked good just like that, without saving and without using hair gel. He could use it as a strategy to confuse the possible bounty hunter that might be following him: change your appearance and confuse the enemy.   
Hux chose a three-piece suit with a white jacket and trousers and a black shirt. He wet his hands and run his fingers through his hair, putting some order in his bright, orange hair. He looked at himself on the mirror and didn’t recognized himself. “This is crazy”, he thought. Pretending to be in Muna for fun… he shook his head and faced his own eyes, “let’s go”, he had a lot of work to do.


	15. This could be us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux and Rose have finally got out fo the hotel to find an unexpected surpise.

The sun was shining, the day was clear and it was warm outside. Hux and Rose were sitting on the terrace of one of the most popular parks in the District, they looked so normal that anyone could think that they were a happy couple eating out.  
Except for the obvious fact that they were not.  
Hux had unbuttoned his shirt a little bit and was reading one of the few newspapers he had bought. He knew how to read between the lines of what the First Order allowed to publish and was looking for clues. At the same time, he was also analyzing the people that were with them, trying to figure out if their faces sounded familiar or not.  
But there was something that really interfering with his hard work.  
And it was Rose.  
Hux hated to say it, but the only image he had of her so far was a Rose covered in dirt and wearing really oversized clothes… and now things had changed. Rose didn’t look like the short, messy rebel with the sharpest brain Hux had ever seen, no, she looked like the short, rebel woman she was with a pair of jeans that hugged her body and her curves in such a way that was making people stare at her. To make things worse, she was wearing her hair down with soft waves, and a really nice looking blouse with a really nice looking cleavage. “Stop, Hux”, he told himself, he had never felt attracted to anyone before and he wasn’t starting now.   
Hux forced himself to read the newspapers he had in his hands and not looking at the other side of the table where Rose was reading as well. “Focus on the people” he thought, he was trying to memorize their faces, almost expecting that some of them seemed familiar.   
Rose put aside the magazine she was reading and laid her elbows on the table, the blouse opened up a little on her clavicle and revealed a piece of tanned skin that Hux wished he hadn’t noticed.  
-I think we should arrange the guest list for the birthday party. –she said-  
Hux pretended that he was reading.  
-Why do you think so?. –he asked turning on the page-  
-Because the arrangement is weird. –she sighted- And I don’t like the way the tables are set.  
Hux made a little “hmpf” and turned on the page again, all the pages talked about the same and none of them was giving Hux what he was looking for, so he eventually closed the newspaper and looked at Rose with a cold expression. He was trying to behave as naturally as possible, but it was difficult. Especially with that blouse.   
Rose smiled sweetly at him and stood up.  
-Let’s go for a walk. –she suggested- I’ll tell you what I think.  
Hux sighted and stood up as well and started walking through the park, Rose was holding his arm like they had practiced in the escaping ship and Hux had grown used to it. More or less. He looked at the woman who was supposed to be his couple.  
-Surprise me. –he said-  
Rose gripped his arm a little harder and that made Hux pay all his attention.  
-I think that my sister’s table is too far. –she started with concern, Hux nodded and pointed mentally at his back- And I also think that the wine is not good enough, the last time I had it tasted like… -Rose frowned her nose- rotten. We have to change the wine.  
-What brand do you suggest then?. –he asked lifting his brows-  
-I think we should change to white wine and the one that your brother recommended. –Rose declared-  
Hux flexed his jaw. Someone was following them from behind and was typing on a phone. “Well seen, Rose”.   
-And what happens with the tables?. –he asked again shaking his head- Now you got me concerned.  
-That I have seen that most of your family is together at the bottom of the room. –Rose denied with her head- I know we said that it would be their perfect place, next to the door so that they can smoke. –Rose grabbed his arm with both hands and came closer to him- But I think it’s disrespectful.   
Hux’s eyes looked down at her and he smiled, he stopped walking right next to the small artificial lake and gave Rose a naughty smirk. Someone was following them from the back, typing on a phone and someone else was watching from a closer bench.  
-I think my family will be more than happy where they are. –Hux murmured-   
-No, -she complained and kept on walking- we should mix them with mine. And put our friends a little closer.  
“They have stopped”, she meant. Rose fanned her face with her hand and started to put her air on a ponytail than made the V of the cleavage a little deeper and Hux made a huge effort to look at her in the eyes, she was frowning and expecting and answer from him.   
-Let’s go and change that wine then. –Hux declared-  
Rose gave him a sweet smile and grabbed his arm tighter all the way to the entrance of the park. On their way out Rose saw a perfect young couple, both of them looked taken out of the front page of a magazine, she sighted and looked at Hux smiling.  
-Look darling, -she whispered- this could be us, but I am short as Hell.  
Hux laughed a little, it was true Rose was really short, even more next to him. Rose laughed as well and gripped his arm a bit tighter as they crossed the street. It was a signal, a signal to go to a crowded place where they could study those two suspects without them noticing. Hux had memorized the two men that Rose was talking about. He never forgot a face and now they had a thread to pull from. 

-What?. –Raj asked completely shocked- They were following you?.  
Hux nodded, his face had a very dark expression, his hands were closed in fists under his chin. Rose was frowning with her legs crossed.  
-I saw them as we entered the park. –she murmured- I thought I was mistaking, but no.  
-How do you know that they were following you?. –Raj inquired- Those are very heavy accusations.  
Rose gave him a concerned, heavy look and lined forward, letting her elbows on her knees.  
-Such were my thoughts when we sat down on that terrace, that I might be confusing them with someone else. –Rose closed her eyes for a second and lowered her voice- But then, as the minutes went by I had a flashback that I saw these men before in the Destructor. They were wearing First Order uniforms and they were heavy armed. I saw them in the main hangar before the explosions.   
Hux still had that cold and completely focused expression, he didn’t say anything, but his brain was working at full speed, creating one thousand different scenarios where he might have seen those men’s faces. The only problem was that his memories right after he had sentenced Rose and the traitor Trooper to death were still foggy. Hux hissed with frustration, he didn’t manage to remember everything, as the hours went by he had more memory clarity, but it not the full memories just yet.  
A huge, dense silence installed in Raj’s house. The three of them were sitting in his living room after having a short walk through Raj’s garden.  
-At first I thought that the ones who attacked him were Troopers for some reason, that the bounty hunter theory was too risky. –Rose murmured- But now I’m afraid that we are facing a designed murderer.   
-We think that someone hired them. –Hux added breaking his silence- Rose suggested that maybe someone tried to kill me and make it look like an accident, based on how she found me.  
-Do you have any idea of who may want you dead, Armie?. –asked Raj biting his finger-  
Rose and Hux shared a new concerned look.  
-I know many people that would like to see me dead. –Hux admitted- But right now I can’t imagine who would go this far.  
-‘Cause they have followed you all the way here. –Raj kept on asking, he was really worried- How is that possible?.  
-My theory is that they might have bugged the conversations from Muna’s main gate. –Rose intervined, Raj was going to protest but she was faster- I know what you are going to say, that it is impossible to bug conversations in this planet. But please think that bugging information is not always on the phones. –Rose gave Raj a determined look- I think that they found us because of the escaping ship.  
-We think that the hirer lives in Muna. –Hux continued after Rose- It is the only reason why they would have free access to the planet. There are no bounty hunters here.  
Raj suddenly realize about what they were saying.  
-You are suggesting that they heard about the escaping ship news when they were coming here?. –Raj inquired rising his voice-

Raj tossed his chin and looked at Hux. His eyes were furious and sparks came out of them, Raj’s shoulders were completely flexed and Rose could read the determination and the rage in his eyes. And, somehow, in the middle of that huge mess they were in, instead of being scared, Rose felt happy that Hux had, at least, someone he could trust.  
-So those bastards only pulled from the thread and they found the ship and then they found you. –Raj spitted-  
Rose and Hux nodded.  
-I bet their hirer is really angry. –Rose said- He must have paid a huge deal of money to try to kill someone with such a high position…  
-Only to find that not only their target is alive, but also is not alone. –Hux finished with a twisted smirk-  
-That hirer isn’t the only one who is angry. –Raj sentenced- I am livid. –Raj fixed his bright green eyes on Hux’s- I will help you find them, now more than before, Armie, trying to touch you means touching me as well. If there is anything that you need from me, I’ll do it.  
Hux and Rose shared a look and Hux look at his friend with an honest smile, Raj was the closest thing that he had to a brother and Hux always felt really lucky to have him. Not that he would tell this to anyone, though.  
-We need the list of the hangar crew from the Destructor as well as the list of the ones assigned to the command deck. –Hux murmured- And we need the access to the tracking list of ships that we could follow at light speed.  
Raj frowned, confused.  
-I understand the part of the crew list. –he raised a hand- But I am afraid that I don’t get the speed light tracking.  
-There was a mistake in the code. –Hux murmured through his teeth- We cannot track small ships and I want to fix that, so that when I go back to the Council I can compensate for my actions.  
-And how can you get that?.-Raj inquired standing up and walking through the room-   
Hux gave his friend a look full of circumstances and arched his brows, Raj widen his eyes and stopped in front of him.  
-You want to get into the Head Quarters. –Raj murmured, completely shocked, Hux nodded- Armie… -he shook his head- that’s crazy, getting in there… is impossible.  
-We’ve done worse things. –Hux commented with a smirk-  
-Don’t go that way. –Raj warned-  
-You are already thinking, Raj. –Hux’s twisted smile grew-  
Raj gave Hux an intense gaze and cursed inside.  
-I know someone you could use… -he murmured biting his fingertip- A member of the Council.-The smile swiped off of Hux’s face and it became pure ice, Raj nodded- I understand you, but he is the best chance you got.  
Rose frowned, she had got lost in the conversation and she didn’t know who they were talking about… But in the last couple of days Rose had learned how to read Hux’s face and when he used that face it meant problems.  
-Look at the bright side. –Raj smirked- He’s a drunkard and you’ll be able to steal his access card pretty easily.  
Hux pinched his nose and hissed through his teeth.  
-He is a complete idiot. –Hux replied-  
-I didn’t say he wasn’t. –Raj smile bigger- We’ve done worse things, Armie.  
-I take it back. –he spitted-  
-Too late. –Raj replied-  
-Can you please explain me what are you talking about?. –she asked confused-  
Raj and Hux shared a look, Raj was partially amused, Hux was again cold and emotionless.  
-Sorry, Rose. –Raj said- We are talking about a member of the Council who is a complete idiot, a drunkard and that nobody can stand, especially Armie… -Raj gave Hux a naughty smile and Hux frowned deeper- but he has one of the most direct access to the whole system of the First Order without having to actually go into the facilities.  
Rose’s eyes widen and held her breath, she looked at both men one more time.  
-Really?. –she asked- Someone like that exists?.-Both men nodded at the same time- And he has access to everything? Even what we are looking for?.  
-Yep. –Raj smiled-  
Rose laughed hysterically and sat down again.  
-And how do we steal that access card?. –she asked-  
-You are not scared of stealing from someone like the high member of the Council?. –Raj asked completely shocked at Rose’s determination-  
Rose laughed again. “I am more scared of what will happen to me if I don’t do it”, she thought.  
-At the point where I am at, -she puffed- I am afraid that I can be the extra piece by those hunters. No, thank you.  
Raj smiled one more time and pat Hux’s shoulder.  
-I will help you as much as I can. –he declared- I will ask him to come on Wednesday. –he looked at both of his guests- we need to create a plan so that you can steal his card.


	16. Please, stop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Hux... but being honest, he deserves it.

Hux was cursing his luck one more time in that day. Not only he had to play cold all the time and pretend that something inside of him was starting to see Rose just as something more than just a “rebel scum”, that part of his will was pending on her belt and the way she moved. But now he also had the added task of having to be extremely close to her, physically speaking.  
Raj had suggested something that was very true: if they drove a common ship or a car through the streets, they would be easily trackable.  
-But if you use a motorbike, things get more difficult. –he said-  
He was right, motorbikes could easily slip through the cars and ships, making the running away and moving in general pretty faster, using a common ship or a cab only slowed them down.  
The only problem was that none of them knew how to drive the damn thing. Well, not exactly like that. Hux was a good pilot, of course he was, he was a military man with excellences in his file, he was an excellent shooter and his brain was as sharp as a razor blade. But he never learnt how to drive a motorbike. Hux cursed inside one more time, but made sure that his face was as plain and lack of emotion as always.  
Rose, on the other side, was sweating. She knew how to drive the motorbike, the only thing was that it had ben ages since the last time, and she was scared of falling. When she commented Raj the issue, he smiled and took them to the outskirts of the city, where the roads were pretty much empty and they could practice without having to worry about hitting anyone.  
With her heart beating like a war drum, Rose walked to the motorbike and swung her leg over it as she held the wheel. She sat down and steadied the vehicle, with a deep breath and swallowing hard, Rose switched on the engine. The motorbike made a deep noise and all the lights from the dashboard started popping up, Rose tried to give a little bit of gas and the engine roared like a lion. Rose smiled as she felt the vibrations going through her, it had been a while. And she loved the feeling of the wind on her face.  
Hux looked halfway hypnotized how a confident smile grew on Rose’s face as the engine started working… and to his enormous shame he couldn’t help but thinking that Rose looked so… attractive and so… he hissed. “Hux, stop”. Rose looked at him still smiling and swung him a helmet.  
-Jump on. –she said-  
Hux cursed his luck again, why him?. Hux walked slowly and looked at Rose and the motorbike before sitting on the backseat. And oh, boy, the space was just… enough. Enough to make Hux spread his legs a bit further so that Rose fitted between them. Hux looked away because he certainly didn’t notice how her body was bended over the motorbike and how her round hips looked from that angle. Nope, he didn’t notice at all.  
Rose felt how the motorbike shook a little when Hux sat down, but it stabilized pretty much immediately, though. Rose stretched up to turn around and look at the general, who still had that poker face and cold eyes. Rose also noticed that they were closer than what it first looked and her back was practically glued to his chest, that his legs were touching hers and that he covered her entirely.  
-Ready?. –she said over the engine’s noise, Hux nodded and said nothing, Rose felt her heart beating faster and faster- It would be easier for the two of us if you… -she felt the words get stuck in her tongue- if you hug me.  
Hux narrowed his eyes and gave her a cold look, but Rose turned around before she could see his face, she was completely flushed and grabbed the wheel again. Slowly, she could feel how Hux was adjusting on the seat and bended over her until his chest rested fully on her back, feeling his warmth. Rose smiled a little, who would have thought that general Hux had any sort of body heat, she felt how the general’s hands wrapped around her waist and held her steady. Rose took a deep breath. “Here we go”, she thought. Rose pulled the clutch and entered the first gear and let the motorbike start moving as she found the point where to start pulling the throttle grip. The vehicle started moving silky smooth, for Rose was still holding it back, it was a really amazing engine and it needed to be handled carefully.  
Rose started driving really slowly, letting the motorbike move and finding out where the engine was asking for more gas. After a couple of minutes, Rose pulled the throttle grip harder and the motorbike started to run faster. They were at a nice speed, not too fast, not too slow, and Rose was amazed at how good the stabilizers were and how well distributed the weight of the motorbike was. She had no issue with taking curves and bending a little to help it. Rose smiled looking at the sunset sky feeling the warm freeze on her face and body, man, she forgot how amazing it was to drive these things. Rose took a deep breath and pulled the throttle grip a bit more, the motorbike answered immediately, the engine roared and Rose drove all the way to the main road and the highway to go again into the city.  
Hux was another subject, though. Hux was in two minds about the whole situation. On one side, his brain was completely focused on everything that surrounded him: the breeze, the sound of the engine and the sounds of the city, how he felt the speed on his body. On the other hand… a part of him that he didn’t even know it existed was focused on Rose. To his eternal shame, Hux had to admit that Rose had tamed the motorbike and the engine in very little time and was proving herself to be a really good driver. Their bodies were glued from knees upwards and Hux was hugging her small waist, his ears were burning inside the helmet, he had never been this close to anyone in his life, he despised physical contact and hugging Rose was… a whole deal of new sensations. And he didn’t like new things, no, he didn’t like the way he was feeling her body bended under him when curves on the road came, no, he didn’t like how he could feel her flexing and gaining more and more speed as they entered the highway. He didn’t like at all the feeling of silent coordination they had and how it felt as if they had been driving together since forever.  
But that wasn’t the worst, oh no. The worst part came when they entered the city traffic. Rose moved like a fish in water between the cars and stopped at the traffic lights. Those stops were making Hux sick. Metaphorically and literally speaking. Metaphorically because the fact of waiting in line before moving made his little patience grew thinner and because everybody drove awfully in Muna.  
And physically speaking Hux was starting to get really uncomfortable because every time Rose slowed down, her hips slightly slipped back and ended up against his... while his hands were still holding her, almost pining her down. But the noises were the worst part, Rose was letting little cries of joy and she was in a happy go lucky mood. When she stopped, she stretched up a little, bending over the seat and Hux was having a really difficult time not thinking about the curve of the small of her back and how firm and steady she felt.  
When they arrived at the damn hotel, the process of stopping-sliding back- touching him- repeat felt like some sort of torture that had been designed exclusively for him. Hux was starting to realize that his body was far from dead, that a part of him was having a great time… and that a part of him wanted that that stupid driving trip to never end. Hux forced himself to be rational, to be calmed and to be cautious, that they were on a suicidal mission that could end with their heads on a spike and that what they were doing was far from amusement. “This is to move through the city without worrying about those bounty hunters”, he told himself, he was working with a rebel, for fuck’s sake. “A rebel woman who is smarter than you and you like it”.  
Hux hurried up when he got off the motorbike, took off the helmet and put his hands on his pockets, looking away. Rose went to talk to the hotel staff to ask them to park the motorbike in the parking spot. On the lift, Hux had the coolest face Rose had ever seen on him, he didn’t look or talked to her in the whole lift trip, he was clearly uncomfortable and surly. Rose felt a spark of frustration growing inside of her, Hux was such a complicated person… when he seemed more or less normal, he suddenly changed to his cold, military attitude and pulled her away, locking himself behind a huge wall. Rose frowned deeper and felt the rage growing inside of her and flexed her jaw. She wasn’t in Muna for fun, she wasn’t staying the most expensive hotel she had ever seen stuck with Hux for fun, she didn’t let someone pay for her stuff because she fancied it. She was working and her partner in crime was a complete asshole with a broomstick shoved up his ass everywhere he went with zero collaborative will.  
Frowning, Rose let Hux step out of the lift, but she stayed inside.  
-I’ll be back in a couple of minutes. –she said with a plain voice- I’m going to the rooftop; I need to be alone.  
Before Hux could protest, she clicked the closing doors button and went up to the last floor.  
Rose let the air she was holding go and rested against the lift wall. She looked at herself on the mirror, almost unable to recognize herself, if she was still with the Resistance, at that time she should be closing the garage and be covered in engine oil head to toe, not wearing the fancy clothes she was wearing.  
Rose sighted when the lift peeped and opened the gates. Rose put her hands on her pockets and walked outside opening the rooftop’s door. She needed a couple of seconds to let her eyes adapt to the semi darkness, Rose chose the furthest place from the door to sort of hide and to make sure she was completely alone.  
Rose felt the wind striking her face stronger than when she was driving. She had felt almost free for a second as she drove through the road, she felt in control of the situation. Rose took a deep breath. She needed to talk to Hux and to have a very serious talk, she wasn’t a soldier he could pick on, no matter how much he could possibly despise her. “But does he really despise you?”, a voice inside her said. Rose shook her head, of course he hated her, she was his enemy and Hux made very clear his opinion about her. “Yeah, that is why he almost begged you to share the bed”, the same voice pointed out. In spite of the air, Rose felt her cheeks flushing. That was true. For two nights already.  
Rose looked at the whole District Capital of Muna, how the city lights danced and created a wonderful landscape with its own particular melody. Rose took a deep breath again and looked at her hands. They were small and had clear signs that she really put them through a lot, they were not the ones of an aristocrat, not even close. Rose let the wind toss her hair and she appreciated being alone for a while, alone with her thoughts and her fears. She didn’t know how long she spent there, but she didn’t feel the need to go back until she started to shiver. With a sight, Rose started to walk back to the room, but, instead of taking the lift, she took the stairs.

Hux, on the other hand, felt really grateful that Rose went upstairs. He needed to be alone. He walked through the whole apartment, trying to put some order in his troubled mind. Hux was used to be the one in control, he held the pan by the handle, not the other way around. Hux shallowed with difficulties, he was such a cold man that he heard rumors that some soldiers and staff workers thought he was even a droid. He never cared about other people’s opinion about him, he had no time for that. He always worked for himself and for himself only.  
That was why he was feeling like a bat out of Hell after that motorbike ride. Basically because he had been dragged out of his comfort zone and made forced to look and to let someone else take control of the situation.  
Hux felt almost terrified of how he had felt when he and Rose were on that motorbike. Not because he didn’t know how to drive the damn thing and he had to use the backseat, no, Rose had proved to be a really good pilot and a really good driver. He wasn’t scared of letting her drive. What made him really scared was the way he felt while he was holding her. Hux didn’t feel the usual repulse he normally felt when he had to be close to someone, whether it was another general, a member on the council or Troopers, or worse, sharing lifts. No, Hux didn’t feel the urgency to pull Rose away and take back his personal space, on the contrary, he felt… comfortable. Hux found himself amazed by the way their bodies almost danced during the whole ride, how Rose moved and how well her back fitted on his chest, how his hands holder her waist felt… right.  
And then there was the slowing down situation, how she slipped a bit to totally glue herself against him and how the soft touch of her hips against his seemed like…  
Hux hissed, throwing those thoughts away and putting his hands on his pockets, he didn’t want to look down, but he knew that he had allowed himself to enjoy and to think about Rose way too much... and it was starting to show.  
That was completely unexpected and intolerable for him. Rose meant nothing for him, just a tool he needed to save his ass. “Yeah, that’s why you almost begged her to sleep with you and you couldn’t take your eyes off her all the time”, a voice said. “Shut up”, he thought as he felt the embarrassment flushing his ears.  
He sat down on the couch and took a deep breath. “Clam down, Hux”, he told himself. “Yeah, don’t think about her body leaning to you and how coordinated you were”. “STOP”.  
That moment the hotel room opened and Rose came in. Hux grabbed a cushion and hugged it making sure his hips were covered. Gosh, he felt like shit and wanted to jump off the window. He didn’t want to look at her, but she slowly walked to the couch. Hux looked outside the window, “please, go away”, he thought.  
For a minute, his wishes became true, Rose walked upstairs without saying anything, picked a couple of things and went back down and locked herself in the bathroom. Hux heard the water running and took a deep breath, great, now he had time to think how to calm himself down now that she was back. “Back and naked”, that annoying voice said again, Hux hugged the cushion tighter as he felt the bump in his pants grow. He hated himself even more. Who was this and how could him bury it down one more time?.  
Hux wished that Rose never came out of that bathroom. But no, of course not. She came out few minutes later and she walked to the couch, Hux flexed and tried to calm his heartbeat. “Shit”, he thought, Rose was wearing some sort of pyjama that was basically a pair of lounge shorts (really short) that revealed her strong, fit and tanned legs, a loose bomber jacket and a tank top. He hair was on a bun and she was barefoot. “Shit”, Hux thought again, that vision was far from calming him down. “Shit”.  
Rose sat down, her face wasn’t angry or surly, it was relaxed and her eyes were soft but determined.  
Hux took a deep breath, damn it, now he was trapped. If he stood up Rose would see that he wasn’t precisely cooland it would mean the death of him. Hux gave her a plain look. Rose then looked at the small table and saw a that there was a chess board right under and looked at him.  
-Do you play?. –she asked pointing at the board with her head-  
Hux looked at the chess board and almost gave thanks. He nodded and Rose took it out and placed the board between them, making sure it didn’t swing.  
-Choose color. –she said-  
Hux took the white ones, he may not have the situation under control, but at least he could begin the game and lead the attacking strategy. One all the pieces were on their rightful place, Hux opened the game and Rose looked at him.  
-We need to talk. –she began, Hux didn’t see it that way, but didn’t say anything, Rose took a deep breath- I know that I am not the best one to share this situation with and that you despise me. –“no, you are, and yes, I do”, Hux thought- And I also know that we don’t get along, that we don’t have a good relationship and that we didn’t even start off nearly well. –she puffed and laughed a little, shaking her head and moving a pawn- You sentenced me to death, I bit your fingers and then I saved you from an explosion and tied you to a stretcher. –she looked at him with a smirk- Doesn’t sound good.  
-Not remotely. –Hux said moving another pawn-  
-And I know that if we are here it is because we are in really desperate estate. –Rose sighted and moved other pawn- And we need to work together and all that. –she said with some sense of tiredness and shaking her hand in the air- But I think we should re-arrange things.  
Hux lifted a brow and looked at her for the first time.  
-How so?. –he asked-  
-Because I think that, even if the idea is completely twisted and makes my skin shiver, -Rose explained moving the bishop- I think that we make a good team. -Hux puffed with a sarcastic smirk- No, I mean it. –She insisted- If we didn’t have the capacity of working together that we have we wouldn’t have made it passed the first guard post.  
Hux tossed his chin, still with the cushion on and nodded.  
-Indeed. –he murmured- I will give you that.  
-And I know that I won’t be able to make you change your mind about how you feel about me being “rebel scum”. –Rose laid her head on her fist- And don’t get me wrong, I still think you are a prick with a broomstick shoved up your ass. –Hux lifted both his brows and smiled a little, yeah, he had been told that too- But I think we can make this crazy thing work.  
-Shed a light on me, then. –Hux voice was still sarcastic, but focused on the game and on her words-  
With an elegant movement, Hux also moved a bishop. Rose looked at the board, narrowed her eyes and bit her lip.  
-I want you to treat me as an equal. –she said, Hux lifted a brow- I am not one of your Troopers or people under your commands and I am not taking that bullshit anymore.  
-Anything else?. –Hux asked moving the tower-  
-Yes. –Rose re-arranged herself on the couch- I want you to stop treating me with such extremism. –she gave him an intense look- One moment you are fine, you are almost normal, -Rose shook her arms- you talk to me like… I don’t know, your partner in crime, that I am, and then, within seconds, you just shove me away and talk to me like if had stepped on your feet.  
Hux stood her eyes and said nothing, what she was saying was true and he wanted to know how far she was willing to go.  
-Hux. –Rose tossed her face- This sounds horrible, but I trust you in this shit-show we are performing. –her eyes were honest, Hux held his breath, he didn’t see that coming- I think that you are just as smart as I’ve been told you are all this time and that you can adapt to every situation and create a plan B within seconds. –Rose shook her head- If I had to do this on my own I wouldn’t have made it so far if it wasn’t for you, and it really kills me that you don’t trust me enough to treat me as an equal. I want you to trust me, Hux. I don’t want to pretend that I am your friend because I know it is hideous and stupid because we play on opposite teams.  
Hux looked at the board and stopped thinking about his next move, meanwhile…  
-Okey. –he said without looking at her- I will try to make my behavior as normal as possible. But don’t expect fireworks, Rose.  
-I am not expecting jokes coming from you. –Rose smiled, Hux lifted a brow one more time- Although they would be fine here and there.  
“You don’t want them, believe me”, he thought. Hux made his move and Rose blinked surprised, she rolled her sleeves and unzipped the jacket a little… just enough for it to slide down her shoulder and reveal her skin. Hux made a huge effort not to grasp, he could see her clavicles, their soft shape, the elegant curve of her neck and how little pieces of hair were getting out of that bun and caressing her skin... “Shit”, she was beautiful, the little pink tip of her tongue came out and licked her lip, thinking. Hux pushed the cushion down unconsciously and bit his cheek. “Shit. Fuck.” Hux wished the game finished already, he needed a really cold shower.  
-Will you stop being a prick with me, then?. –she asked softly-  
Hux felt even worse, not only he was hard under that goddamn cushion, but was also being an asshole with the only person (besides Raj) who had said that trusted him. Hux looked at Rose, who had an honest smile on and no malice in her eyes, she was relaxed with her legs crossed and no ill intentions but working with him. Hux wasn’t used to that and it was hard not to behave like an idiot, he pinched his nose and smirked.  
-I will try my best. –he said with a rusty voice-  
Rose’s smile grew and her cheeks flushed pink, Hux felt the stinging sensation of remorse and something much darker.  
-Fine… Armitage. –she smiled- We have a deal.  
Hux blinked surprised to hear his first name and puffed.  
-We have a deal… Rose.  
Rose bended a little bit over the board biting her lip, the jacket slipped a little lower and dragged the tank top a little… “Shit, she isn’t wearing a bra”, Hux frowned his lips, he was hard, really hard now.  
-Checkmate. –Rose said-


	17. Plot, plot, plot, plot, plot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raj, Hux and Rose meet right before the big day, giving the plan the final touches. Raj will learn that Rose is much more than what she first seemed... And Rose will se a hint of Hux's past that will make her question many things.  
> Let's go.  
> P.S HAPPY MAY THE 4TH GUYSSSSSS

It was the day before Raj’s party, people were coming in and out of his house carrying all sorts of food, arrangements, drinks, lights… everything for the celebration. Raj was supervising everything and making sure it was correct, checking the lists and how workers were getting things ready when Rose and Hux arrived. They had agreed to meet the day before to set out the final touches of the plan.  
Raj had to be honest with himself, Armie looked… different since he was in Muna. He was angry, of course he was, he was being tracked down and someone wanted him dead, that was a very heavy reason to be angry and awake at night, but it was Armitage Hux we were talking about. Raj knew that his friend had carried that risk and fear all his life and it shaped his personality throughout the years, but since he came with Rose… he was different. Less cold and more human.  
When they walked together, Armie didn’t had his hands clasped behind his back and his shoulders stretched, he was relaxed and his hands were on his pockets. Raj smiled a little, Armie only walked like that when he felt completely comfortable. Raj couldn’t help but thinking that maybe that short mechanical boss was a missing piece that Armie needed. Rose was indeed an extremely smart person, her logic and her reasoning were one of the sharpest Raj had ever seen, and Raj knew how much Armie liked a smart talk.  
Raj welcomed them with a smile and invited them inside.  
Raj led them to his office and told the service to leave them alone and that he wanted everything sorted out by the time they finished.  
“That will keep them entertained and away from here”, he thought closing the door.  
Raj turned around and look at his guests, Hux was wearing a nice pair of jeans and Rose was wearing a tracksuit with a high pony tail, Raj smiled inside, they really looked good together. He sat on his desk and he invited them to sit as well. They shared a conspirator look, Rose held her breath, Hux was frowning and Raj pinched his nose.  
-Tell me what you got. –Raj said-  
The general and the rebel shared a look and Rose sat back, Hux stretched back and looked at Raj with severe eyes.  
-I have two possible candidates to be the ones who hired the bounty hunters. –Hux began- One is that imbecile we are going to assault tomorrow. –a spark lighted up in Raj’s eyes- The other one is another member of the council that was competing against me with the light speed tracking system. –both friends shared a look- But my bet is on the drunkard.  
-Why?. –Raj asked-  
Hux’s face transformed, his eyes lighted up with a frozen rage, a muscle on his jaw twitched and his expression was pure hate. Raj only saw his friend like that one time and one time only, Raj felt his heart beating with adrenaline and fury.  
-No shit. –he murmured, Hux nodded- Fuck.  
Raj closed his hand on a fist and wished he could punch something.  
Rose felt a shiver down her spine from the other corner of the triangle. Hux and her discussed more or less the motives why everyone he knew would want him dead, but, in the last two days, she never saw Hux like that.  
A shiver of fear and recognition, Rose thought.  
Rose had seen rage, hate and frustration many times in many people’s faces. But that level of hate that she could see in Hux’s eyes was not the type of hate she saw when the Resistance talked about the First Order. That level of hate runs deeper inside of people’s hearts. The type of hate that keeps you alive for only one purpose. That hate that was not just an emotion; it was part of who you are.  
A hate that she had only seen in a very few people.  
And those few people included herself when she thought about him.  
A very scary idea crossed her mind and made her blood froze in her veins. What if…? What if Hux…?. Rose swallowed, “no way”, she thought, “no way”. But that look... and Raj too, he had that look as well. There was crucial information in the air that Rose didn’t know about, but she knew exactly what it was about.  
-You think this attempt of murdering is linked?. –Raj said in a really cold voice, Hux nodded-  
-I have given the matter a lot of thought. –Hux’s voice was like nothing Rose had heard before, it sounded sharp, rotten, full of cold hate- And I have come to the conclusion that it is connected.  
A dense silence installed between the tree of them and Rose crossed her hands with anxiety creeping her back. She needed to stop this at once because she knew how these things ended.  
-We have come with a plan to steal the card. –she said with a shrill voice, both men looked at her and she felt their rage crossing her like a lash- We have thought about stealing it once he is completely wasted. –Rose swallowed again- I’ll be the one to do it, but for that I need him to be more or less alone… or me being really close to him.  
-Why you?. –Raj asked with a cold voice-  
Rose swallowed again and face him grabbing the armrests.  
-Because I am the new face here, I am clean. –she said- No one knows me… -Rose looked at Hux, who still had those really cold eyes- and I am really good at stealing things. I just need to know where is the card.  
-He normally has it hung around his neck. –Raj explained slowly, Rose smile- Do you have anything in mind?, we will need gallons of alcohol just for him.  
Rose looked at Raj with a smirk.  
-Is the card visible or is it hidden under the clothes?. –she asked- And how is it? Square?, Big or small?.  
-The card is like this one. –Raj pulled out a normal zip card with some intricate letters on it, Rose looked at it very closely- Normally he has it at sight in the Council meetings, -Raj said- but for the rest is under his clothes.  
Rose nodded with a dark smile growing on her lips. She passed it back to Raj.  
-How is he?. –she asked- Apart from repulsive.  
Hux puffed and Raj frowned his nose.  
-Big, fat, halfway bald. –Raj explained- He behaves like the idiot he is because he knows he’s important and powerful.  
-Let me guess, -Rose ventured- he is the typical idiot that will try to be the center of attention all the time even if it is not his house.  
Raj nodded and a muscle flexed on Hux jaw. Rose looked at her feet and frowned.  
-I got it sorted. –she said- By the end of the night we will have the card and he will have a replacement.  
-How will you do it?. –Raj kept on asking-  
Rose’s dark smile grew bigger and looked at both men with clever eyes.  
-The Second Mouse Strategy.  
-What?. –Raj stuttered-  
-The second mouse is the one that gets all the cheese because he lets the impatient mouse go first and fall into the trap. –Rose explained- I will not approach him until the end of the night, when he will be close to pass out. And I will play the card of “Oh God, I am so sorry”. –Rose said with an anxious tone-  
Raj gave her a concerned look and tossed her chin.  
-Are you sure that it will work?. –he asked- I am not questioning you, but…  
-It won’t fail. –Rose said firmly- I know it because I’ve done this before and I know how this works.  
Hux gave her an angry look but said nothing, Rose looked at him and smirked.  
-Don’t look at me like that, -Rose complained- I stole the master key of the engine access for a whole day and nobody noticed.  
Raj looked at her with widely open eyes and mouth.  
-You did what?. –he asked, Rose laughed- You stole the master key of the engine access of the Main Destructor?. –Raj looked at Hux- That’s impossible, it is always guarded by, at least, three guards… and you.  
Hux puffed and tossed his hair, thinking about how Rose was talking about when they got into the Destructor trying to stop the navigation system and fixing the engine at the same time.  
-She did. –he hissed with shame-  
Rose had a proud smile on, she pretended dusting off her shoulder.  
-In my defense I will say that I found a malfunction in one of the computer components that could make the whole thing blow up eventually, especially at light speed. –Rose said- And my boss said it didn’t exist… So I had to do the dirty job.  
-And how did you steal that?. –Raj asked with shiny eyes- I am intrigued.  
Rose took out her Haysian pendant and showed it to Raj.  
-With this.  
Hux puffed again and Raj stood up.  
-Haysian. –he said in shock, Rose nodded and put it back under her clothes- How?.  
-If you put this baby next to an electric panel it creates an overload. –she explained- Make the cameras and the lights blink for a couple of seconds… -she smiled- and then, boom, free access.  
Raj laughed and Hux gave her an angry look.  
-Don’t look at me like that. –she said again- If I hadn’t fixed it we would have blown away.  
-We blew away, Rose. –he spitted-  
-But not because of me. -Rose laughed- That wasn’t my fault, for once.  
Raj laughed louder.  
-You stole a master key in front of the Troopers’ noses?. –Raj dusted away a tear- And then put it back?.  
-I didn’t get caught. –she said- No crime, no punishment.  
-I will disagree with that. –Hux puffed-  
-You found out I was right. –she complained, Hux’s eyes narrowed- And then, if the engine stopped in the middle of nowhere while tracking the Resistance, it would have been your fault because you didn’t listen.  
Raj laughed again, Hux’s face was the one he made when he didn’t want to admit that the person he was arguing with was right. Hux only used that face with him, and seeing that argument with Rose live was a like a table tennis match. And he was enjoying every second of it.  
But he also couldn’t help but thinking that Rose was very quickly. She took control of the conversation and led them back to the plan, making Hux and Raj forget about that asshole counselor and even making jokes to engage Armie. Raj wasn’t sure about how much Rose knew about Armie’s past, but it seemed like she didn’t know much. However, she had the audacity to cut the memory trip and bring both of them back to reality. Raj was surprised with that woman, she was really smart and his friend really valued her, Raj could see it in the way he was looking at her. Armie was cold and crafty, but Raj could read him to filth and knew when his friend liked someone.  
And, honestly, Raj would do anything and everything in his power to protect Armie from that man and from his own past.  
-Om, I almost forget, Raj. –Rose said looking at him- We thought about leaving the motorbike here tonight and use a cab tomorrow.  
-Why?. –he asked-  
-Because if, by any chance, we have to escape... –She gave Hux a quick look- we are ready and no one knows it was us.  
Raj nodded with a smile.  
-Damn, you two are a very dangerous combination. –Raj puffed- Armie, this is better than when we were in military school.  
Hux shrugged his shoulders.  
-I told you this was serious.  
-Rose, are you sure that you are just a mechanic?. –Raj asked- ‘Cause you could have the same position as Armie, with that brain of yours.  
Rose shook her head.  
-I don’t have the money or the contacts to be a general. –she sighted- But I am the boss of the engines, which is pretty much the equivalent where I am from.  
Raj laughed again and Hux allowed himself a smirk.  
-Let’s go down. –Raj proposed and give Hux a naughty smile- You owe me a “thank you” and a round. -Hux’s smile disappeared and Raj’s grew bigger- No poker faces, buddy, you said yes on that escaping ship.  
Hux gave Raj a killer look and Rose laughed a little. “Shit”, Hux thought, he was, indeed, trapped.


	18. Cinderella lost a shoe…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose is having an existencial crisis... With Hux between her legs.
> 
> SECOND ROUND!!!! For today I worked really hard to have 2 chapters ready!! Enjoy this one (hehehhehe)

When Rose and Hux went back to the hotel, Hux laid back against the lift wall and was looking at her. Rose smiled a little, Hux’s shoulders were relaxed and his face didn’t have any of that sharpness and surliness that were so typical of him.  
-Your ears are bright red. –she said-  
-Must be the weather. –he answered-   
Rose shook her head and the slowly walked back to the room, when she opened the door she saw the party dress in the protective folder resting on a hanger on the back of the couch and the shoes right under it; right next to Hux’s suit.   
-Om. –Rose murmured- They must have arranged it. –she picked it up and took off the folder, Rose looked at Hux with excitement- I think I am going to try on everything.  
Hux smiled a little and nodded.  
-I might do the same as well. –he sighted tossing his hair-  
Rose went upstairs and used the huge closet as her changing room. Rose unzipped the back and took off the clothes she was wearing. When she shoved it up, Rose made a quick bun and slowly zipped her back all the way to her neck and tried on the shoes that Lora had chosen for her. When she looked at herself on the mirror she held her breath, completely shocked by the image it gave back.   
The dress had a transparent lace from her neck up to her breasts and the sleeves that was covered in tiny crystals that created a gradient effect, more separated on her forearms and more concentrated as they came closer to her chest. An imaginary “V” cleavage was drawn on with navy blue beds and more crystals that gave space to the actual pearl semi corset that was embedded up to her waist, all covered in more beds and tiny pearls and crystals. The skirt had an ivory color and was silky and fluffy all the way down to her ankles, where the roman strapped dusty white heels that were tied around where her calfs began.   
Rose found it hard to breathe, she couldn’t believe it was her who was wearing such a pretty dress to a robbery. Rose couldn’t deny that she had fantasized several times about saving the galaxy and destroying the First Order, but she never, ever, not even in her wildest dreams thought she would be doing it with Hux. Rose tossed the skirt, feeling the soft fabric play through her fingers with a smile.  
A knock on the door brought her back to reality and felt her cheeks flushing.  
-Come in. –she said-  
Hux opened the door with his tracksuit on.  
-Wow, -Rose said with a surprised face- hey there, handsome.  
Hux rolled his eyes, he was wearing a navy blue three-piece suit that made him look almost like a prince, Rose thought. It fitted him perfectly like a second skin, bringing out his shoulders and more tight on his waist, the trousers hugged his legs making him seem even taller than what he already was and making his ice blue eyes stand out. Hux had the jacket hanging on his arm and let it on one of the chairs, Rose tried really hard not to pay attention at the way the trousers made his perfect, round ass look and Rose forced herself to stop looking at him up and down and thinking how handsome and appealing he was.  
-You look fantastic, Armitage. –she kept on saying, trying to sound normal-  
Hux would have said something clever… if he wasn’t out of words. Rose was absolutely breathtaking in that ivory crystal-covered dress. Hux couldn’t help it, he didn’t know if it was the damn shots that Raj made him drink or the fact that every time that Rose smiled, made a smart joke or laughed in the last few days Hux felt goosebumps on his stomach that made him feel like an idiot.   
-You look… -he said but stopped, he shook his head- you look extremely beautiful, Rose.  
And he meant it. Rose looked fantastic in that fluffy, silky dress. She will catch a lot of eyes, he thought. Hux walked towards her to look at himself on the huge mirror next to each other. Rose made little room for him and Hux didn’t believe his eyes when he saw himself, with his messy hair and beard on that suit with Rose next to him, looking like a princess taken out of a fairytale.   
Rose’s smile grew bigger, her cheeks flushed red and she held his arm, just like when they walked through the streets, making a pose like in a picture.  
-You know, -she murmured looking at their reflections- I dreamt a lot about saving the galaxy when I was younger. –she sighted- I thought about destroying the First Order, shutting down the Head Quarters and avoiding more violence. –Rose shook her head and looked down- I never thought it would be like this.  
Hux looked at her and softer his eyes.   
-We don’t look like ourselves. –Hux said-  
-It was the whole point. –she said, she turned around to look at him in the eyes- You look fantastic in blue, Armitage, perhaps you should dump the black.  
Hux puffed in a little laugh.  
-I don’t look as intimidating. –he replied- They won’t take me seriously.   
Rose shrugged her nose in a soft laugh, “Gosh, she’s beautiful”, Hux thought.  
-You, on the other hand… -he continued- you look breathtaking. Those harpies are going to really jealous of you.  
Rose shook her head and laughed louder.  
-Of course they will, -she laughed- of my height. Look at me –she stepped back a little- I am so short that not even with these incredibly high-heels I reach your shoulders.   
-Easier to hide under a coat. –Hux smirked-   
Rose laughed again and they shared a look. Hux was still halfway smiling like the idiot he was, one part of his brain blamed it on the alcohol, the other one was still too busy looking at Rose and thinking how beautiful she was on that dress.   
-So, you like the dress?. –she said-  
Hux nodded.  
-Very much. –he said-  
Rose looked at herself on the mirror one more time and pulled a piece of her on the back of her ear shyly. “Tomorrow you will regret this”, his brain said. He never told a woman that he found her beautiful, he never looked at women with the same stupid eyes that he was giving Rose. Stupid shots.  
-I am going to change. –he said trying to save the little pride he had left-  
-Good idea. –Rose sighted- Me too, it’s getting late.  
Hux left the closet searching for his pyjama and his dignity, somewhere inside a bin. 

Rose, on the other hand was having a bit of a problem: she couldn’t untie her shoes. She hissed and tried to reach the knot through the silky layers of the dress. Nothing.  
-What the fuck?. –she spitted-  
Rose tapped across her calf trying to catch the damn strap and untie the damn thing, but she didn’t know how the fuck she had done it, she couldn’t take the damn shoes off.  
-Fuck. –she cursed out loud-  
How could she be so clumsy?, Rose removed her hair off her face one more time and took a deep, angry breath. “The hope of the Resistance”, Rose thought pulling up the skirt, trying to untie that damn heel as she thought about Lora and all her family in a not friendly way. A new knock on the door made her red face look up, completely ashamed.  
-Everything alright?. –Hux asked-  
Rose would have sworn that Hux’s voice was denser and kind of dragged, but she was too busy with her own mess.  
-Not really. –she confessed- I don’t know how the fuck I did it, but I can’t untie this damn shoe.  
Hux was wearing a shaggy t-shirt and some pyjama trousers, nothing to do with few minutes ago, but he still looked handsome as Hell.   
-Can I help you?. –he asked-  
Rose puffed.  
-Yeah, pass me the scissors. –she declared- I don’t care how much these cost, I’m going to cut the damn strap and be done with it.  
Hux laughed through his nose and shook his head.  
-Poor Lora. –he smiled- She really work hard to find those shoes.  
Rose gave him an angry look.  
-Right now I don’t really care. –she hissed-  
-Come on. –Hux said walking towards her-  
He offered her a hand to help her stand up and Rose took it before the surprise of such gesture hit her.   
Speaking of the Devil…  
Hux took the chair and put it right in front of the chest of drawers that was in the middle of the closet.  
-Armitage, what are you doing?. –Rose asked-  
Hux didn’t answer, he walked to her again… and grabbed her by the waist and held in the air. Rose let go a little cry, completely taken by surprise, Hux moved her as if she was weightless and sat her on top of the chest of drawers.  
-What the Hell?. –Rose cried-  
Her heart was pumping like crazy and her face was bright red. Rose looked at Hux with widely open eyes without knowing what to do, she was still in shock. Hux sat on the chair right in front of her with his head at the same level as her knees. Rose let go a soft grasp, her heart was really close of breaking through her chest and run away, she was completely frozen and her hands were shaking. Hux looked at her and patted his leg.  
-Come on, -he said, his voice was thicker and rustier- give me one foot.  
Rose’s brain shut down. Goodbye. Rose thought she didn’t hear well. Hux was looking at her, his eyes were strangely shiny and Rose prayed that it was because of the alcohol that Raj made him drink to celebrate that he was in Muna. “That’s it”, she thought, Hux would never do such a thing sober.   
But the slightly tipsy Hux was different.   
Rose shallowed hard and, very slowly, she rested her right foot on Hux thigh.   
-I think I see the knot on the strap. –he said frowning- But I am not sure with all this silk.  
If Rose though she couldn’t blush more, she was mistaken. Her face felt more and more heated up and her neck was starting to get just as bright. With shaky hands, Rose rolled the skirt a bit higher up to her knee.  
-Now it’s better. –Hux said-  
Rose felt his hands on the back of her calf like a soft touch that sent an electric shock straight to her brain. Rose held her breath and flexed her back, “calm down”, she told herself. And it would had been easy… if there wasn’t for the fact that Hux’s fingers were tucked under the straps and running across her leg trying to untie the damn shoe. Rose was really considering the scissors as a good choice because those touches were driving her crazy. Very slowly, Hux managed to undo the knot and un-cross the straps all the way down to Rose’s ankle and, as if he was handling a very delicate object, Hux held her and slipped the shoe off her foot.   
Rose’s almond eyes were completely open, her heartbeat close to collapse and her hands covered in a cold sweat. Her brain wasn’t in a better state either, she was internally screaming. Hux looked at her and gave her a naughty smile that sent Rose’s rational capacity to the trash can. “Oh, my God”, she thought, with that smile and those sparky eyes Hux didn’t look at all as a mighty general, he looked like a really confident man who had the situation, and her, under control. The added fact that he was giving her such look from between her knees didn’t help her, to be honest.  
-One off. –he murmured, Rose shallowed again, his voice was really rusty and deep from the back of his throat, and it sent chills down her spine- Give me the other foot.  
It wasn’t a request… it was a command. But, oh, man, what a command. “Oh, my dear God, that voice”, Rose thought. Hux’s voice was normally plain, a little sarcastic at the most; but, in that moment it was so masculine and intimate that Rose really found it difficult not to grasp. Obediently and with shaky knees, Rose changed her right foot for the left foot without looking away from Hux’s eyes, her breathing was really heavy and she was filling chills everywhere.  
Hux smiled again when he felt the weight and little sting from the heel on his thigh. “Good girl”, Rose could hear his thoughts and felt another chill that made her skin shiver when he looked down and got back to work.   
Rose closed her eyes for a second and sent a silent prayer that Hux ended soon; he, on the other hand, puffed.  
-I don’t know how you did it. –he said- But this one is even worse.  
“Of course”, she thought. Rose took a deep breath and felt her heart pumping ever harder when she rolled up the skirt even higher up to the middle her thighs and pressing the cloth between her legs. Hux puffed again and leaned a little bit more, twisting her leg and making Rose spread her knees a bit further. Rose felt like dying. She closed her hands in fists, grapping the soft cloth of the skirt between her fingers and curving her back. Rose took away her eyes off Hux because she was getting dizzy and his hands caressing her legs searching for the damn strap was making her brain go crazy. Unconsciously, she looked at herself on the huge mirror and the image almost made her moan.   
From that angle, Hux seemed to be doing something entirely different than what he was doing. Swallowing with difficulties and with that perspective, Rose could see perfectly how Hux’s head was placed perfectly between her legs and his hands were caressing her, just as if… just if he was about to eat her out in that closet.  
Rose closed her eyes and bit her cheek, this was getting very difficult and very heated up very quickly for her. In that moment, and unaware of how bad Rose was, Hux turned his head and his beard scratched the inner part of Rose’s thigh.   
Rose moaned, unable to hold herself and covered her mouth completely embarrassed. Hux looked at her and lifted a brow.  
-Are you ok?. –he asked-  
Rose nodded, completely red.  
-Tickles. –she stuttered-  
“Yeah, tickles”, she thought, “tickles straight in your lady parts”. Oh, dear, Rose’s skin was really sensitive, and she loved the feeling of Hux’s beard on her skin and how his fingers were touching her. Rose laid her head back and took a deep breath, “don’t think about your panties right now”, she told herself, she was starting to get really wet.   
Untying the knot, Hux scratched her inner thigh a couple of times more and Rose made a huge effort not to moan and prayed that this torture finished soon.  
After a minute that felt like an hour, Hux slipped down the straps and taking off Rose’s shoe. He looked at her and grasped, Rose was completely flexed and with her back curved, her hands holding the skirt around her hips, her heavy breathing and blushed skin, looking at him. But the perspective man, his perspective, with one of her legs almost resting on his shoulder and her knees wide open “because I asked her”, he told himself, made his blood boil in a second.  
-T-thank you, Armitage. –she stuttered-   
-How are your tickles?. –his voice was really deep-  
Rose nodded but said nothing, she was looking at him with, almost hungry eyes. Hungry for what, exactly?. Hux stood up very slowly, still between her legs and looked at her straight in the eyes. Rose laid her head back to face him, her breasts touched his chest every time she breathed.  
-Thank you. –she said-  
Hux looked at her mouth, partially opened, like an invitation. But he thought twice.  
-Good night, Rose. –he murmured-  
Hux turned around and walked away, leaving Rose shaking and completely lost.


	19. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux is trapped in his own mind, haunted by the past. Rose has to do something about it. And quickly.

Rose took a deep breath as she packed the dress back into its folder, ready for the evening. She tossed the fabric and straightened it one more time with her fingers before zipping the protective bag. Her hands were shaky as Hell as she pushed the two sides of the folder together, “ready to steal rattles” she thought. Rose hanged the dress and looked around her, trying to set her eyes on something… trying to… trying to erase what had just happened few minutes ago from her memory. Rose covered her mouth and then lowered her hand to the base of her neck feeling the quick rhythm of her heartbeats, looking at nowhere. Even her knees were trembling. Shaking her head and still on her underwear, she picked up her clothes. “I should have brought the pj with me”, she complained, clicking her tongue.   
Rose turned her head to look over her shoulder all the way to the door where Hux had left a while ago. Rose needed a few minutes just to process all the nervousness and anxiety she was feeling and trying not to throw up. She didn’t remember the last time she felt like this, so nervous and out of place that her stomach would threat with making her rush to the bathroom.   
But this was too much.   
Too much, too intense, too unexpected.   
Rose felt her cheeks burn, she still could feel the itching on her thighs right there where Hux’s beard scratched her… Rose puffed and laid her head back biting her lip. “And now what?” she thought, Hux was a cold, crafty man, his eyes normally were ice freezing. But when he looked at her after taking off her shoe his eyes were far from dead; Hux’s eyes were letting a trace of burns on her skin and his usual plain voice was deep, rusty, intimate.   
Rose looked at herself on the mirror and hater herself, she was supposed to hate Hux and feel disgusted by his touch, not electric and… and… thinking about his eyes as a dark promise underneath her clothes. She shook her head to dust away the tears and, with her clothes wrapped in her hand, turned off the closet light and shut the door, imagining that her memories and that moment of intimacy between a high general from the First Order and a maintenance and mechanic worker from The Resistance was just a product of two extra shots.   
Rose looked at the corridor and the main bedroom in semi darkness, with the only light coming from the city lights. With a deep breath and pushing her fears and mixed feelings aside, she walked to the bed, where Rose stopped after slightly opening the door. Rose held her breath and paid attention, trying to tell if Hux was sleeping or not. The sound of a deep, constant breathing, as well as the early stage of a soft snoring, told Rose that Hux was deep asleep. She smiled a little and bit her lip harder. Very slowly, she got inside and looked at the general.  
Hux was lying face down and open arms, his head was deeply sunk in the pillow and his orange hair was kind of a mess. Rose held her clothes tight against her chest with a sudden access of shyness, if he saw her like that… Thanks that he was on a REM stage already. Rose walked to her side of the bed and pulled out her pyjama. With a soft sight, she sat on the edge of the bed trying to make the less noise as possible, Hux was deep asleep, but he could wake up in any moment.  
Rose took off her bra and put on the tank top she used to sleep as well as the lounge shorts. She then opened the sheets and got inside. Rose turned around and looked at Hux’s relaxed face and smiled again. If with two shots he was already tipsy, for the party he better drink water. But not her, though. Rose frowned her nose, no, she needed to be tipsy to carry out the plan. It was awful, she knew it, but Rose knew herself better and her better operations were always after a couple of drinks.  
The vision of Hux between her legs hunted her that night.   
Rose dreamed of how Hux looked at her after letting the last heel fall to the floor and broke the silence as it hit the wooden parquet. How his intense blue eyes were fixed on her and how his breathing was just as heavy as hers, how her leg was almost resting on his shoulder and her knees were wide open to let him in. Rose felt Hux’s lips right where his beard had scratched her and how, very slowly and caressing her skin, they left a trace of pecks as they went up searching for her hips.   
That’s when the screams woke her up.  
Rose stood up all of a sudden, with her heart pumping like crazy for both, the dream and the scare, and still half asleep. Rose looked around when she heard the screams one more time. Unconsciously she touched around her, searching for Hux… Hux.   
Rose switched on the light and saw how Hux was crawled in a ball shape, hugging the pillow and screaming. Dear God, Hux was screaming as loud as his lungs and vocal cords allowed him to, he was shaking violently, covered in sweat.   
Rose froze for an instant, completely taken by surprise and blinked a couple of times to make sure she wasn’t still dreaming. Hux let go of a new cry, in that moment Rose fully woke up and felt how the fear started running through her veins. Rose got rid of her sheets and moved towards him with anxiety crumbling on her throat. She looked at him completely anxious and not knowing what to do.   
A new scream that came from the deepest of Hux’s body only made her feel worse. Hux was having a nightmare, a Hell of a nightmare that was making him have a panic attack while dreaming. Rose placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to woke him up, but Hux only shook harder and screamed one more time.   
Rose then stood up and ran to his side of the bed, grabbed him by the arms and shook him harder.  
-Hux, wake up!. –she cried- Hux, please, wake up, it’s just a nightmare.  
Hux shook again and crawled even more, Rose let go a frustration moan but didn’t give up. She then jumped on the bed on top of him and focused on her own strength, trying to calm herself down. Hux was trapped in a place where she couldn’t go, but she could take him out of it. With a deep breath full of determination and with a huge effort, Rose made him turn around and face her, just like in the Destructor when she dragged him all the way to the ship; then Rose grabbed his hands and shook him again against the mattress as she jumped a little as well.  
-ARMITAGE HUX WAKE UP!!.-she shouted-  
Hux’s eyes suddenly opened and looked at her in shock, before Rose could feel the relief of him being out of the nightmare, Hux then grabbed her by the hands and shove her off, switching places and; before Rose knew what was going on, she found herself trapped against the mattress and Hux on top of her, pining her down with his own body. Hux’s breathing was heavy and his eyes were scared and disoriented, like if he didn’t know her at all, his fist was in the air, threatening with hitting her. Rose looked at him with widely open eyes and shaking lips.  
-Armitage, it’s me…-she murmured, he didn’t seem to hear her- You were having a nightmare, -Rose continued on the verge of crying- you were screaming and I tried to wake you up…  
Hux blinked and his eyesight focused on Rose, he was absolutely terrified and was finding it really difficult to breath.  
-Armitage… -she murmured again with a soft voice- It’s ok, it’s ok, don’t worry, it’s all right... It’s all gone now. –Rose swallowed and freed a hand, trying to place it on his cheek, rubbing her thumb across his scratchy beard, she smiled a little- You are safe.  
Rose didn’t know what it was, but the moment her hand touched his face, Hux blinked and looked at her with a terrified expression that made him crumble down with, almost, a sob. Rose hugged him unconsciously and pulled him closer, Hux buried his face on Rose’s chest and fought to pull back the tears as the rebel woman ran her fingers through his hair and whispered comforting words against his temple. Whatever it was that was haunting him, it should be really strong and scary to make a man like Hux scream like that and Rose couldn’t help but feeling useless as she felt the huge man that Hux was shaking on her arms, she hugged him even tighter.  
-It’s gone. –she murmured again- You’re safe, whatever it was, it cannot get to you anymore.   
Hux shook again in a shiver and Rose pressed her cheek against his temple and closed her eyes, letting the general go through it.  
Rose was still hugging him and caressing his hair, looking at the ceiling when Hux realized that he didn’t know how long they spent on that position, but he was one hundred percent sure that he was suffocating her. He could hear Rose’s heartbeat clashing against his ear and he was ashamed to admit it, but he used it to calm himself down and followed it to stabilize his own breath. He tried to lift his head and Rose’s hands caressed his cheeks.  
-Do you feel better?. –she asked with the softest smile that Hux had ever seen-  
Hux swallowed with difficulties, his eyes were watery and he still felt the fear and the effects of the nightmare. He nodded a little and Rose’s smile grew bigger.  
-You don’t need to tell me what it was. –Rose murmured- Don’t worry.  
Hux felt a new shiver going down his spine and Rose hugged him again against her. And what did he do? He let her do it, he let her touch his hair and say stupid, silly and comforting things to make him feel better, like the idiot he was. Hux could feel how Rose’s body trembled every time she let go a little laugh after a silly joke she made, she was telling him little stories to make him forget a little. Hux felt like a sick bastard for enjoying the sound of her voice echoing from her chest, the warmth of her skin and how soft it was. He closed his eyes and tried to shake his memories away, back to the sealed box he had built over the years to make the past go silent and focusing just on Rose.   
Hux didn’t know what was it to blame, the alcohol, the nightmare or the calming touch of Rose’s fingers on his head, her warmth or her slow heartbeat; but Hux felt asleep before he realized.   
Rose did notice the sleeping state of the general after a couple of minutes of silence. She started to panic internally, Hux had fallen asleep on top of her, with his head resting right above her heart and when Rose tried to get out, Hux move and hugged her against him. “Fuck”, she thought. She looked down to the messy, orange head resting on her breasts and his fit arms wrapped around her. “Trapped on a bed under a man”, Rose thought puffing, in other circumstances she would be really happy, but it was Hux we were talking about. “You like him like that”, a little voice said. “No I don’t”.  
Rose took a deep breath and tried to, at least, switch the light off, since she wasn’t going anywhere. After a couple of frustrated attempts, Rose reached the switch and plunged the room back into darkness. Rose sighted and looked at the ceiling. “They better give me a raise for this”, she thought before falling asleep. 

When Hux woke up, the first thing he noticed was… warmth and… softness. He knew that the pillows were comfortable and that hotel was really good, but this was different. He tried to move and… he felt something on his hair. Hux opened his eyes… and he froze. He was sleeping on top of Rose. Not next to her, no, on top of her. His head was resting on her breasts and her hands were hugging him, she was still sleeping and her breathing was deep. And he was hugging her as well.   
And what a Hell of a night.   
He remembered how she woke him up from his nightmare and how she assisted him, how she hugged him… and how he fell asleep on her in return. Hux felt like shit, since when did he sleep with people? Or worse, since when did he sleep on top of a rebel woman? The same woman who saved him, “fuck” he thought, he was a fucking bastard.   
He tried to pull his hands out of the small of her back and Rose moaned a little and stretched up without waking up. Hux really tried not to look at how her back curved, caressing his body in the process with a soft wave. And how the tip of her tank top was rolled up, showing her brand discovered soft and warm skin; and, on top of everything, Hux absolutely didn’t notice how beautiful and sexy she looked with her black hair spread all over the pillow and her hands on his shoulders. He tried to move a little and rolled to the side, but Rose woke up opening one eye.   
-Hey. –she murmured with a dense voice-  
Hux wanted to die of embarrassment in that very moment.  
-Hey. –he answered swallowing- Regarding last night…  
Rose closed her eye again and smiled.  
-At least I wasn’t cold. –she said- You are a great blanket, Hugs.  
Hux looked at her and blinked.  
-How did you just called me?. –he stuttered-  
Rose puffed laughing.  
-You were hugging me so tight if I tried to move. –she said smiling and with a dragged voice, Hux felt how his ears were burning- I decided that I would call you “Hugs”.   
Hux looked away and realized that he was still on top of her. He moved away with all his shame.   
-Was I at least a good pillow?. –Rose asked still floating in her sleep-  
Hux blushed harder and felt the heat on his neck. He swallowed.  
-You are. –he stuttered again-  
Rose puffed again laughing.  
-Team blanket and pillow, we have a robbery to carry out. –she smiled, Rose covered her eyes with her arms- Yay.   
-Why did you do it?. –Hux cut her with an angry voice and looking outside the window- Why didn’t you slap me and shoved me off?.  
He was really confused and angry with both, Rose and himself. Rose moved her arm away and very slowly she sat back, lying against the bedposts. She tossed her eyes and stretched one more time. With a sight, she faced the confused face of the general and smirked.  
-I should have slapped you and read you to filth, indeed. –she agreed, she gave Hux a sleepy smile- But, honestly, I didn’t like the idea of giving more stress to someone who was clearly having a panic attack. I was thinking about doing it this morning, but I think I’m not gonna do it.  
Hux felt terribly exposed and… weak. A distant echo of an iron voice laughed at him.  
-Why are you so… understanding?. –Hux was very confused and his anger was growing within seconds-Why do you bother so much? I am your enemy…  
-Because you needed help, Hugs. –Rose answered as if it was obvious-   
-Just that?. –he felt out of the box, confused and frustrated-   
Rose nodded.   
-Do I need any other reason?. –she asked smiling, Rose gave him a tender look- Just that, Hugs. –Hux couldn’t stop thinking that he almost didn’t hate the nickname and that Rose was crazy- And help sometimes is as drastic as dragging someone through a burning hangar, -she lifted her brows, smiling- and sometimes it’s just a shoulder to rest on for a while.  
Hux looked at her in silence, with a head full of mixed feelings: his survivor nature was yelling danger, but the other side, the one that he never listened to, was saying that Rose was someone he… he could trust. She had helped him so much in the last few days that Hux wasn’t sure about anything anymore.   
-What do you do in the Resistance?. –he asked after a couple of minutes of silence-   
Rose tossed her chin.  
-I am a maintenance worker and a mechanic. –she answered, but then she sighted- But I am not sure if I will still have my post when I come back, maybe the found someone else.  
Wait a second…  
-A maintenance worker?. –Hux asked surprised- You are a maintenance worker?.  
Rose blinked and put a piece of hair behind her ear, blushing a little.  
-Yeah… -she said- I don’t have a high position…  
-Someone like you is just a maintenance worker?. –Hux’s voice was becoming louder-Are you lying to me?.  
Rose’s face blushed harder and she frowned.  
-No, I’m not. -she said, confused- I wasn’t good enough for a pilot, I am too short for that.  
Hux couldn’t believe it, Rose, the same woman who was playing the most dangerous game in the Galaxy and created a brilliant plan… the same woman who was brave enough to drag him across a crumbling ship and surprise him with her amazing brain… was a mere mechanic.  
-I though you were someone close to General Organa. –he commented- Someone in the high sphere.  
Rose laughed.  
-Why?.  
-Because you are brilliant. –he declared and Rose flushed-  
-Don’t flatter me like that, Hugs. –she stuttered-  
-I am not flattering you, I am describing facts. –he replied, still frowning- How then would she rely such a mission on you?.  
Rose puffed and crossed her legs.  
-Because I am the best in electrical engineering. –she murmured- And the only one available at the time.   
Hux stretched back and gave her a long stare.  
-If you were in the First Order you would have a rank like mine, at least. –he continued- With your brain and knowledge you could lead a whole fleet.  
-If you were in the Resistance you would have a really high rank. –she replied with a smirk- We could use that sharp brain of yours.  
Hux felt a shiver of disgust running down her spine.  
-Not even in a million years. –he declared-  
-Same here. –Rose smiled, they both shared a stare and Rose laughed.- It is hard for me to say it, -she lifted a brow- but I like you Hux. We work together really well.  
-Despite being enemies.  
Rose nodded and lifted a fist, holding it in the air.  
-Team blanket and pillow?. –she joked, Hux’s ears flushed again- Come on…  
Hux looked down with an embarrassed face and fist pumped Rose.


	20. C’mon Barbie, let’s go party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux and Rose are finally carrying out their plans. The only need the perfect moment.

Rose finished off tying her heels and stood up in silence, walking around the closet to look at herself on the mirror. She tossed the dress to make all the different levels of folds on the skirt fall into their place. Rose’s face was a cold mask, her eyes were as hard and as dark as obsidian and her brain had shoved away any type of sentimentalism. She had a job to do and it was a difficult one, she needed all her concentration.   
Rose looked at herself, let her shoulders down and focused on her breath. One, two, three, she let go of the air and repeated the process until her mind was empty. Rose let her heartbeats reduce to minimum levels, shut out all the noises from outside: the city, the cars, the humming sound of the lights, Hux’s steps… everything was left out. Only an empty void. She wasn’t Force sensitive, she wasn’t gifted with a great deal of physical strength… but she was good at finding the weak spots of her opponents. Second Mouse Strategy. “Here we go”.  
Rose started walking out of the closet and went downstairs. Hux was waiting for her, looking out the window with his hands clasped behind his back, fully stretched and with that military pose he used to have when he was in the Commander seat. He turned around when he heard Rose’s steps on the stairs, Rose lifted her brows, he had shaved and his hair was styled back but with water instead of hair gel. His eyes were as hard as a rock, Rose could read in them the same determination she had.   
They looked at each other in silence from the opposite corners of the living room and Rose couldn’t help but think that it was a shame that they were enemies, for Hux would be a great help in the Resistance. With a deep breath, she nodded and started walking out, Hux followed her and remained silent all the way to the cab. Rose didn’t compliment Hux that time, she didn’t make any jokes, she didn’t even smile; and neither did Hux. That mentality was for yesterday, in that moment, they were working.   
They knew their part, they had been discussing it the whole day and they were ready. The silence that was between them was so dense that could be cut with a knife and nobody imagined that they were headed to a party, they looked like they were going to war. Which was exactly what it was. A war. A war against the whole Council and the First Order. Rose crossed her hands on her lap and looked outside the window, her heartbeat was starting to run faster, but she managed to put it back into normality. Hux was also sitting back and looking outside, lost in his own thoughts and plans.   
The ride to Raj’s house was longer than expected thanks to the dense traffic that crossed the highways, but neither Hux or Rose protested; on the contrary, they thanked it, the longer they took, the better for their plans. When they arrived, Hux went down first and opened Rose’s door, he was working, but he had manners as well. Rose smiled a little, not in a friendly way, more plain and polite. Hux and Rose walked to the entrance of Raj’s house, but they stopped behind some bushes, away from sight.  
Rose looked at the different light games that decorated the walls and the sky, the sound of the music that was being played inside. She could smell the flowers on the garden, the trees and the traffic, but she didn’t dedicate them a secondary thought. They were arriving late for a reason.  
Hux and Rose faced each other again, Hux offered her his arm and Rose held it firmly. They walked inside with a slow rhythm, like if they were trying to make it at long as possible.   
-Stealing rich drunk people in a party. –Rose commented- I could get used to this.  
Hux smirked in response, but his eyes were still ice cold.  
-In one of the most dangerous places in the Galaxy. –he replied with a plain voice- Doesn’t sound like an ideal job.  
-You might get a reputation as well. –she continued with a sight- Not a long one, you’ll get caught eventually… but what a ride.  
The smirk on Hux’s lips didn’t disappear.   
-Maybe it is your true vocation.   
Rose shrugged her nose.  
-I am not sure. –she said- I love those old engines way too much.   
Hux let go a little “hummpf” and kept walking through the garden. The night was clear and they could see the little bright dots of the stars across the night sky. Rose had to say that, shaved and with his hair styled, Hux looked breathtaking on that suit. He didn’t look like the military man that he was, but rather an aristocrat that would fit perfectly in Muna. Well, with that pose and that walking style… he may looked a little intimidating. They belonged to different universes, that was for sure.   
Raj went out to welcome them with a hug and held Rose’s hand to spin her around. She laughed a little and even made the skirt float around her.  
-Look at you, Rose. –he said- You are absolutely beautiful tonight.  
Rose gave Raj a sweet smile.  
-Your assistant has a really nice taste. –she commented touching the silky skirt- Thank her for me.  
-I will. –Raj turned his eyes to Hux and smiled naughtily- She made an incredible job making you look like a normal person, Armie.   
-Blue is not my strong suit, but I will roll with it. –he said-  
-That was the worst joke you’ve ever made mate. –Raj smiled- Even Rose has a frog face.  
It was true, Rose pretended she didn’t hear anything, but she was really bad at lying. Hux clicked his tongue and walked inside; Rose looked at Raj and puffed a laugh covering her mouth with the back of her hand, following the general inside. Raj retained her holding her arm with delicacy and came closer.  
-He’s nervous. –Raj said to her in a whisper- He won’t tell anyone because he’s that stubborn, but he is worried.  
Rose gave Raj a calmed look, and caressed his hand with hers. She grabbed her small purse with both hands and stretched her shoulders.  
-Raj, -she murmured- if you keep an eye on him, I will be done soon enough.   
-Do you think…?. –Raj began, but Rose was faster-  
She stepped back with a big, sweet smile and looked at the new guests that came in, looking for the host.  
-The party is fantastic, Lord Maar. –she said with adoration- Thank you so much for having us, this will be fantastic.  
She walked inside and left Raj with his guests, Rose looked at the sophisticated guests with an apparently innocent look, she would have to play the role of posh city girl… and she was going to kill it. 

Raj and Hux were talking on one corner, just teasing each other. It had been ages since the last time the two friends had a little time together, and Raj pushed Hux a little harder than usual with the jokes. Hux pushed Raj as well, they didn’t hold back and they shared a couple of drinks, not too strong though, Hux needed his brain sharp and clear.   
Raj and him were remembering all the naughty staff they did back in the military school and how much they hated their class mates, and even how they sneaked out to drink and to have fun. Hux smiled a little listening to his friend when he turned around to look for Rose. She was talking to other guests, she was smiling and laughing, charming as always; just like she belonged there, even though he knew she hated all that show to her guts for reasons Hux wasn’t sure he wanted to know. The lights lowered down and a DJ started playing some music that Hux didn’t know. Of corse he didn’t know, he wasn’t used to parties.   
But strangely, Rose seemed to be. She was still talking with those other girls when they dragged her to the dancefloor. Hux saw a little rush of panic on her eyes… but she managed to control herself. He was almost tempted to go there and rescued her, but he saw how Rose started singing the lyrics of the songs and how she started imitating the dance moves of the rest of the people perfectly.   
Raj whistled watching the girls move and then looked at his friend with a smile on his face.  
-You really like her. –Raj said-  
Hux turned around and looked at him with the same expression as if Raj had said he was getting married. Raj laughed and shook his head.  
-Don’t look at me like that, Armie, -he smiled- you should see your face.  
-What about it?. –Hux inquired-  
-Everybody else would say that you have a broomstick shove up your ass, -Raj began- which I am sure you do, -he teased him- but I know you, and those eyes you’re giving her are not the standard “fuck off”.  
Hux rolled his eyes.   
-You are drinking too much. –Hux replied calmly-  
-I am not, but I should. –Raj’s smile grew bigger- I’m gonna go and get another drink. Don’t run away.  
Hux shook his head and watched his friend go. His eyes wandered around the huge room and the different guests that Raj had invited, all of them seemed almost harmless. Unconsciously, Hux started searching for Rose on the dancefloor. He found her dancing with the other girls, laughing and singing. Rose looked like she was really having fun, and Hux almost, aaaaalmost felt jealous of her abilities to mimic with the rest, looking like she belonged. Hux gave her a long stare, her dress sent sparkles every time she moved, her long black hair danced around her face and she was clearly enjoying herself.  
Raj then entered the small circle that the girls and Rose had created and everyone laughed, Hux could see how he kissed a couple of then on the cheeks, made jokes and joined them on the dancefloor. Hux felt another sting of jealousy when he saw Raj talking on Rose’s ear and she let a laugher go, laying her hands on Raj’s shoulders as he seemed to had chosen her as his dancing partner. Hux also felt angry with himself, why was he feeling angry at his friend… for dancing with the rebel woman? A rebel woman that was nothing his, they were partners in crime and they worked together really well, that was all.   
But his stupid brain sent him back to the previous night, when Rose had comforted him with the sweetest smile he had ever seen and the kindest words; hugged him and made him forget about the horrible nightmare he was having by not shoving him away. Oh, and the image of the nurse droid’s memory, where Rose dragged him, completely terrified, in the middle of an anxiety attack and how she was crying because she really thought she had ruined her life… as well as the sound of her sobbing in the shower when they arrived in Muna. Hux felt the disgust tripping up his throat, he had no right to feel any sort of jealousy for Rose, he shouldn’t feel his blood boiling for seeing his best (and only) friend dancing with her and having fun while he was hiding on a corner. “You are a moron, Hux”, he told himself. One part of him wanted to be the one hugging her like Raj was doing, he wanted to be the one that made her laugh and feel how her body trembled when she did it. Hux wanted to be the one holding her waist and her hand. Why? Because when Rose said “I really like you, Hugs”, he felt a slap on the face because she meant it. It wasn’t any compliments coming from his superiors, with a plain, aseptic meaning, she had said it with the biggest smile he never thought that no one would ever give him.   
And he felt extremely weak and extremely strong at the same time.  
The only honesty was coming from her… and there he was, one more time, looking from the distance. Swallowing, he gathered himself together and walked towards Rose and Raj. Raj put an arm over his shoulders, laughing and with shiny eyes, Rose smiled as well. Raj looked over them to one of the girls who was terribly alone and Hux saw the wolf smile that grew on his lips as he left them. Rose laughed louder and went back to dancing. Hux then froze, damn, it was true, they were in the middle of the dancefloor. He looked at Rose and she came closer to him, still leaving some distance between them “so that you don’t feel uncomfortable”. Hux frowned his lips, “screw it”, he took a step forward and save the distance, and lowering his head to Rose’s ear.  
-I am afraid that I am not a dance expert. –he confessed- I could use some assistance.  
Rose laughed again and, very slowly, she held his hands and led them to her waist.  
-I’ll lead. –she murmured on his ear- Don’t worry.   
Rose started dancing and Hux tried to imitate her, following her rhythm and the people around them. It was easier than expected. Rose’s hands went higher and looped around his shoulders, making Hux’s heart pump faster.  
-Raj told me that our friend is here. –she said on his ear- But it’s not the time yet.  
Hux nodded and kept on dancing, following Rose’s lead. The music suddenly changed to a much slower rhythm, darker and more intimate. Hux still didn’t know the songs, but the lyrics were very explicit. Rose’s moves also changed, she started dancing moving her hips and still singing those horrific songs. Hux puffed, Rose knew all the songs the DJ was playing, all of them. At some point she turned around, gluing her back against his chest, still holding her by the waist and moving her hips in waves. Hux froze, he could see how the dress hugged her body and how the silk accompanied her hips when she danced… making her look extremely sensual.   
Only to make things worse, Hux felt how one of Rose’s hands gripped his on her waist as she moved… and the other one crawled all the way up to his nape, curling her fingers in his hair. Rose kept on dancing, curving her back and pressing her hips against his, turning it into a slow torture for Hux, who didn’t remember the last time he had been that close to anyone in his life and his rational side was losing the battle against the flow of Rose’s body caressing his. Hux knew that they were doing was just a pure show, that none of that was real. He really wanted to think that the sweet and spicy scent coming Rose’s hair wasn’t intoxicating his senses, that the way that her body felt wasn’t that good. Hux tried to focus on the people surrounding them and think about the plan… but the Galaxy forgave him, but the only thing he could think of was how her skin would feel and taste like.  
“Damn it”, Hux thought, Rose turned again, still dancing and biting her lower lip, then, like a magnet, her eyes found his and she winked at him as she sang part of the song that Hux swore that said something like “ride it”.   
That fried his poor brain. Hux regretted having stepped into that party more than ever before.


	21. Second Mouse Strategy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The game starts!! Hux and Rose must steal the card from the Counselor's neck and mislead the bounty hunters... with A LOT of physical contact.
> 
> SECOND ROUND!!! I am on fire today and I may even post a third chapter...

Rose felt the electricity running through her skin, making every inch of her body hypersensitive to Hux’s touch. “What am I doing?”, she asked herself as she studied the guests around them. She was using the excuse of the dancefloor as it was the perfect spot to observe the people around her and controlling everybody’s moves. The only problem was that the only moves she was focusing on were Hux’s. Rose’s senses were on fire, she felt how his hands were holding her waist and joining her moves, she could feel his warmth right through the thin silk and how good (yes, good) his chest felt on her.  
Rose turned around to face him on a useless attempt of not to imagine how it would feel in real life, wrapping her arms around Hux’ neck. Hux was still holding her tight against him and Rose felt the weight of his eyes on her. They were fixed on her Rose couldn’t help but look at his mouth, normally pursed in a thin line, but now was relaxed and slightly parted. A really dark and intrusive thought made its way into her brain and Rose wondered how would Hux taste like if she kissed him. Rose’s breathing became heavy, her eyes met Hux’s, which were far from cold, he was looking… Rose’s heart skipped a heartbeat, Hux was looking at her mouth as well. She bit her lip and she felt how his hands grabbed her tighter.  
This was taking a course of events that she hadn’t planned, the most rational side of her brain was shouting that Hux was one the most dangerous people in the whole Galaxy, that he would have killed her without hesitating… That Armitage Hux and the First Order were the main reasons of all her suffering. “Cut the show and stick to the plan, you fucking idiot”, her brain slapped her.  
With a huge deal of strength she didn’t know she had, Rose leaned forward to his neck, murmuring on his ear, still with an accelerated heartbeat. Rose looked around them and she saw what she most feared: the two people who were following them in the park.  
-I don’t want to sound alarming. –she said- But I am afraid that our friends from the park are here as well. -Rose felt a twitch on Hux’s hands around her- But I think they haven’t seen us yet.  
Hux didn’t try to turn around, which Rose thanked internally. Hux kept on pretending that they were just a couple who might have gotten into a different stage of just dancing, that allowed Rose to examine them more closely without giving herself away.  
-What do you suggest doing?. –he said against her hair and Rose focused on the bounty hunters and not on the chills she felt on her stomach-  
Rose moved with the music and leaded Hux to a darker corner very slowly.  
-I think you should go to the back of Raj’s office as we said. –she answered-  
Hux nodded and let his hands fall down, Rose stepped back and walked out of the light rings. She felt Hux’s hand on hers and she grabbed the little communicator that he gave her. Rose gave Hux an intense look that pretended to be the prelude of something darker and walked away, pretending that she was looking for a drink.  
She tossed her hair on a mirror and pretended to fix one of the hair pins behind her ear, but actually she was putting on the small communicator, she saw one of the girls from the dancefloor and smiled at her, she was one of the top influencers among Muna teenagers. They had talked back and she seemed somewhat nice and kind. She came over to Rose to re-apply the lipstick and gave Rose a confidential smile, she smiled back and turned around to look at her. The girl was very tall and had a beautiful body, she was wearing a silky white dress too, but more modest.  
-That dress in divine. –Rose complimented her- You look fantastic on it.  
-Me?. –she said, the girl shook her head- If I had one third of the confidence you use at dancing, I would be rocking a corset too.  
Rose puffed laughing and opened her arms in the air.  
-Look at you, -Rose said- you are stunning and you can rock whatever corset or dancefloor you want.  
The girl bit her lip and gave Rose a concerned look.  
-I don’t think so, -she confessed- the confidence you had with that man, -she fanned herself and Rose felt the heat on her neck, she was talking about Hux- you looked like such a queen, running the situation.  
Rose laughed.  
-If you want something you have to go for it. –Rose declared- Especially with men.  
-Even… even our beloved host?. –she ventured, blushing and putting a piece of perfectly blonde waved hair behind her ear-  
Rose made a silent “o” with her lips, she was talking about Raj. And who was her to blame the poor girl? Raj a very handsome man and, as far as Rose knew, he was still single. Rose grabbed the girl by the hand.  
-Raj?. –Rose smiled-  
-You seemed to be friends with him. –she commented blushing harder-  
-What’s your name?. –Rose asked-  
-Lena. –she murmured-  
-Listen, Lena. –Rose declared looking at her straight in the eyes in the middle of that corridor- We are gonna search for Raj, he is a good friend and I will make sure that you have plenty of time with him.  
-This needs a picture. –she smiled-  
Lena pulled out a phone and turned on the camera and made a pose, Rose imitated her and used the mirror as the reflecting surface. Lena then hugged Rose letting a little cry of joy out, Rose laughed and she held Lena’s arm and walked down the corridor as if they were best friends. Rose pretended to toss her hair while laughing and talking with Lena about how “cool and fantastic” the party was while she turned on the communicator on her ear. 

Hux started listening to Rose’s voice and she seemed to be talking to someone else about dresses, decoration and make up, so he assumed that she had found the First Mouse. Hux smiled, damn it, Rose was faster than he thought. Hux indulged himself with a deep breath and a grasp of confidence. The plan was working and Rose was like a hound, determined and constant with her prey. 

Rose and Lena walked together, laughing and complimenting each other to other side of the house, searching for Raj… and the Counselor. Lena had a phone up with the front camera on and was livestreaming with Rose, talking about how cool Rose was and she was playing her part, saying that the true light of the party was Lena.  
Just like they had planned, Rose would find them on the bar that Raj had had installed in the huge garden on the backyard. Rose saw one of the bounty hunters through the corner of her eye but she knew that they wouldn’t come any closer, the had a shield. Rose had the First Mouse.  
Raj saw Rose hanging on the arm of one blonde girl and smiled as he watched them coming closer… as well as the bounty hunter that Rose pointed at with a flip of her hair. Damn, she was good. Raj smiled when the two women came by, he was talking with the target on the whole plan, trying to keep him entertained. Raj felt how the adrenaline fueled him, how easy everything seemed following Rose’s plan. He was cursing the damn Counselor inside, wishing him all type of horrible things and retraining himself from smashing his red, fat face against the bar. Raj gave a sip to his drink, “fucking bastard”, he thought, “you will regret touching Armie”. Rose and the girl came by, apparently innocent, just two friends searching for a drink. The look that the Counselor gave the blonde girl didn’t go unnoticed by Raj and he felt a flash of disgust, it was well known how the bastard liked young women besides being ten thousand years old and reek of alcohol.  
Rose waved him and Raj excused himself from the Counselor and walked to them, Rose smiled, the other girl murmured a shy “hello” and looked down.  
-Raj, I am afraid that I have to ask you for a favor. –Rose sighted-  
-I am all ears. –he smiled-  
The blonde girl twisted her phone on her hands and blushed, Raj couldn’t help but thinking that she was really beautiful, she had a beautiful honey eyes and full lips.  
-This is my friend Lena. –she explained pointing a t her with her hand-  
-Nice to meet you, Lord Maar. –Lena murmured-  
-The pleasure is mine. –he replied with a warm laugh- And no Lord, please.  
-You must know my sister. –she looked down- I am Lora’s young sister.  
Raj’s green eyes widen and Rose lifted her brows.  
-No way… -Raj said-  
Lena looked down and nodded. Raj laughed again and leaned on the bar.  
-Then I will be happier than happy to make any favors. –Raj said opening his hands- Your sister has saved my life more than once.  
Rose laughed and Lena smiled with blushed cheeks, damn, she was beautiful, Raj thought.  
-Her attendant has left her alone. –Rose whispered- So rude. –she shook her head- I was wondering if you could keep her company while I look for MY attendant. –Rose puffed angry- who seems to have vanished as well.  
-It will be a pleasure. –Raj smiled-  
The waiter came in with the drinks and the three of them turned to the Counselor, who was very busy looking at the poor Lena up and down without dissimulation. Raj was going to make the introductions when Rose accidentally tripped… and splashed the Counselor with the three drinks… straight on his face, pouring all the alcohol in his eyes.

The chaos that formed around the Counselor was incredible, Raj acted like the perfect host and assisted the man, crawling on the floor, screaming and covering his eyes.  
-Quick! Water!. –he told the waiter, who was frozen and didn’t know what to do- Didn’t you hear me?!. –he shouted, the boy looked at him and ran to get it, completely panicked-  
Rose started cleaning the Counselor’s face visibly distressed. Lena was covering the mouth with her hand and Rose was crying, trying to dry his face and used her dress to clean him, she was saying “sorry” again and again, sobbing. More and more people started to gather around them when the screams of the Counselor started to be heard over the music, curious to see what was going on. A low murmuring and grasps started to cover the garden as the guests started to come to the backyard, some tried to help and ran to assist the Counselor, but most of them were there just for the gossip.  
The waiter came in with the so much needed water and Raj grabbed the bottles and started pouring it on the Counselor’s face, kindly pulling Rose away. She sobbed harder, covering her face and shaking. Lena hugged her, trying to comfort her and patting her shoulder. Rose let her new friend help her when Hux appeared with a visibly concerned face. He knew that Rose’s fake crying was the signal to show up.  
-What is going on?. –he asked worried and coming at Rose and Lena-  
-Oh, dear, where were you?. –Rose said sobbing and switching arms, Hux covered her and gave her his jacket-  
-It was an accident. –Lena said with tears on her eyes as well- Rose, she… -she swallowed- she tripped and the drinks… -Lena covered her mouth- fell on the Counselor…  
She started crying as well, Raj then came in and hugged Lena, who buried her face on his chest.  
-Thank the Galaxy that many guests are actual doctors. –Raj murmured comforting both women- He’ll be fine in a while, don’t worry.  
Rose sobbed.  
-Hey hey, -Hux said caressing her hair- don’t worry, let’s go for a walk.  
The couple walked away and Raj looked down on the woman he had on his arms. She was visibly affected and Raj felt like a super hero who was saving the girl… and the Galaxy with the horrible attack he had allowed to happen.

Hux and Rose walked inside, searching for the bathrooms so that Rose could wash her face and calm herself down. Rose was still hugging him tight and Hux kept on playing the role of affected… boyfriend? Husband? He didn’t know how to call it, but he rolled with it when he felt that they were being followed. He didn’t walk faster, but used the crowd to hide and to mislead the hunters. Rose also noticed the presence of the figures following them, she took a deep breath and let Hux lead the way through the crowd on their way to the garage and the motorbike.

Hux and Rose were hiding behind a dark corner, feeling the adrenaline running like burning gasoline on their veins. The bounty hunters were after them and searching through the corridors… and they were coming straight to them. Hux wanted to curse and Rose was thinking at full speed and biting her cheek, wanting to scream. They needed a plan. They needed a plan NOW. Rose was breathing heavily at the thought of being caught by those damn bastards… because she knew that if they get caught, they would be dead within seconds.  
Desperate, Rose looked around her, searching for that magic door that would take her and Hux away from that madness… when she saw it. The Heavens parted in the shape of a chair and a screen and she felt the clicking of the pieces of the puzzle coming together on her brain. With a deep breath, Rose took the card she had just stolen from the fat bastard and hid it inside the seams of the corset.  
-I have a plan. –she muttered looking at the chair-  
-I would be really useful. –Hux spitted looking around him like the trapped animal he was-  
He was ready to fight against those hunters, he knew that they were in clear disadvantage, nor Rose, nor him had any sort of weapons that could protect them. It was a crazy idea, but he would sell his life at a very high cost. He would die killing… and killing without dying, because Armitage Hux was not going to die in Muna to the great satisfaction of that bastard.  
Hux turned around to face Rose, he was going to ask her about her fighting skills… but Rose was faster.  
Rose grabbed Hux by the flaps of his jacket and pulled him deeper into the corner they were hiding in. The light there was so low that it was almost in full darkness, they could see each other thanks to the small lightbulbs that were on the ceiling, they provided just the right amount of light. Rose felt an access of nausea growing up on the mouth of her stomach, but she suppressed it with a huge deal of will. Hux stood there, surprised and frowning by what Rose was doing, he didn’t know what she had planned… but he wasn’t ready for it.  
Rose pushed him to that chair on the very very bottom of the wall, making him trip and lose his balance and sit down on that chair, grabbing the armrests with widely open ayes.  
-What…?. –he murmured-  
Rose rushed and pulled over the screen to create a “wall” between them and the rest of the world, keeping them away from sight. Her heart was close to exploding, but she looked at Hux with determination.  
With a quick step, Rose sent a quick prayer for her crazy idea to work out. “If this comes out bad, you are dead”, she thought, but it was her best (and only) take.  
Rose looked at Hux and… to his eternal surprise, she straddled him, rolling her skirt up a little to move better. Hux’s brain stopped working when he felt Rose’s weight on him. A wave of heat stroke his whole body like a wildfire, his pulse pumped on his ears and the adrenaline made his breath faster and heavier. Before he could protest, Rose took his face between her shaky hands, and, with a trembling voice, she murmured the following:  
-People hate watching physical contact. –her cheeks were bright red and she was about to throw up, but Hux couldn’t see that, thank God-  
-What…..?. –he repeated completely frozen-  
-Hux, I want you to kiss me like it’s the last thing you’ll ever do. –Rose declared-


	22. The Chair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THIS SLOWBURN IS ABOUT TO BECOME A WILDFIRE

He wanted to protest, to ask Rose what on the Galaxy she was talking about. Hux was still focused on the hunters and a million other thoughts when Rose pressed her mouth against his. Hux’s brain switched off, everything disappeared. Unconsciously, he grabbed the armrests with all the strength he had and flexed, rigid against Rose. She caressed his lips with hers and glued her body against him, pressing her knees around his hips. Rose ran her fingers through his hair and turned her face so that she could have better access to his mouth. Hux was still frozen and processing the situation, holding the armrests without any sort of reaction coming from him. Rose let go a frustrated moan and bit his lip.  
-Armie, please… -she begged against his mouth-  
Something clicked inside him. Something that Hux didn’t know he had before. His body came back to life and started kissing Rose back with all the adrenaline he felt. Rose tasted like the sweet spice he thought she would taste like, her lips were soft and opened for him. Hux held her head in his hands and kissed her with all the desire that had been boiling up inside him from the last few days. From the damn ride in that damn motorbike that drove him crazy imagining her body moving against his chest, to when he took off her heels, with her knees as opened as they were now and making him secretly wonder if she would let him try to kiss her skin all the way up to wherever she wanted him to. For not mentioning the damn dance from what seemed to be centuries ago, her sensual, dirty moves against his thin will.   
Rose’s small body felt weightless on top of him, but Hux had already had a tease of how she would feel. He knew her skin was silky soft and warm back when he fell asleep on top of her and one hidden part of him was dying to try her, he wanted to know how she tasted like, how she moved like and how loud he could make her scream. He had been repressing himself for way too long in every single aspect and Rose, with a mere kiss untangled him and made his skin back to life.  
Rose moaned when she felt Hux answering back, answering with a huge demand, controlling her, making her mouth open for him and letting his tongue in. Rose looped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, Hux tasted like a deep musk and manly, Rose felt how that combination would get stuck on her brain forever and made her skin shiver.  
Rose tilted back her head, still with her fingers on his hair, when Hux’s mouth wandered down her neck as she was making the sweetest, sexual sounds he’s ever heard when he sucked her throat right beneath her ear.   
The steps on the corridor approaching them stopped.   
Hux felt those moans straight in his trousers, where he was already hard. Rose grabbed the flaps on Hux’s shoulders with shaky hands and moaned louder when he licked the small of her neck. Hux curled his hands around Rose’s thighs, exposed when she straddled him and going up and grabbing her ass.  
-Yes… -she moaned out loud-  
Hux went back to kiss her harder, invading her mouth with his tongue and enjoying every grasp of air he breathed from her and giving thanks that she let him do it. Rose was feeling her head spinning around, completely dizzy and drunk on the general. What first thought that was a horrible idea, turned out to be a fucking success. Her skin was on fire and completely receptive to his touch when Hux’s mouth wandered down her neck one more time and Rose curved her back when she felt him searching for her cleavage. Without thinking, Rose grabbed the zipper on the base of her neck and pulled it down so that she could free her arms and give Hux the access he was searching.   
She almost screamed when Hux licked her skin and bit the top of her breasts and one on his hands let go of her ass and covered her, Rose felt how her nipples were hard against the corset and his fingers. Hux felt like if he had been shot in the head the moment his tongue touched her skin, her taste burnt like fire in the back of his throat and how she looked, with her mouth opened, her eyes closed and her shivered skin because of him made his cock hurt, trapped in his pants.  
Rose spread her legs wider around him and she felt how the general was hard under the clothes. Biting her lip, she searched for his mouth one more time and Rose started to move on top on Hux, mounting him with the same rhythm and cadence as her tongue inside his mouth and rubbing each other. Hux moaned and Rose felt euphoric, his voice was rusty, deep and fucking irresistible. She wondered how he would sound like if they were naked… Hux grabbed her ass and squeezed it as she moved on top of him, adjusting himself so that Rose had full access to wherever she wanted to rub against and joined her in her movements, making it a torture and release process, it hurt every time Rose’s playful hips went away and fucking loved it when they touched again.   
Hux hadn’t felt that excited in his whole life, his previous sexual encounters had been merely functional and without any passion involved. He never remembered even moaning, it was one-two-done and goodbye; and what was he doing now? Moaning on Rose’s mouth as she found her own pleasure against his hard cock. And oh, boy, he loved it. Rose’s hands were everywhere on him, his shoulders, his ribs his neck… And Hux felt the strange urgency of having those hands gripping and shaking his cock.   
-You’re so hard… -she moaned against his mouth-  
-Find it out. –he tried her with a dry throat and strong Imperial accent-  
Rose started to kiss him very slowly, so slowly it hurt as her hand started to go down on him. Hux grabbed the armrests again, holding his breath. When she reached his pants, Rose had the naughtiest smile Hux had ever seen, her eyes were hungry for him, her mouth parted and her face completely flushed. Hux wanted to scream when Rose started to shake him through his clothes as she licked his lower lip, driving him crazy. Hux gagged against her, completely flexed and waving his hips against her hand.  
-Fuck… -he murmured against her tongue-  
Rose felt an electric shock down her body straight to her clit, she had a cocktail of adrenaline, sexual tension and sexual energy bottled up for years that was making her feel like a bomb about to explode. And Hux wasn’t making things particularly easy. She felt how hard he was under her hand and she couldn’t imagine how he would feel, how mad could he go… how much she could push him.   
Rose stroke him harder and Hux moaned against her tongue one more time. It hurt so bad, Rose’s kisses were making him think how it would feel if her mouth was where her hand was and her soft moans and gasps made him also imagined how being inside of her was. He wanted her, Hux wanted Rose in every single way.   
The adrenaline and her touch made Hux grab her ass again as she touched him faster and faster, his heartbeat was like a drum on his ears, Hux moaned one more time… and he felt exploding. He gagged as he suffocated his orgasm in Rose’s mouth and closed his eyes feeling the universe crash behind his eyelids.   
Hux buried his face on Rose’s neck, his face was completely flushed, his body was still shaking from the trip and Rose hugged him with the same tenderness as the night before. Hux hugged her back and waited a couple of minutes, until he was ready to face Rose.   
A lash of shame and remorse shook him, what had he done? Hux was sure that Rose would feel disgusted… but her face was far from any type of discontent. Rose’s cheeks were bright, her mouth was still open and a little swollen from all those kisses and bites… But her eyes, man, her eyes were wide open and shiny, amazed for him. But they were hungry as well, really hungry.   
Rose had taken off part of her dress and she stood back to put it back on, still covered by the screen, giving Hux her back. He wanted to help her with the zip, but he looked down to the mess he had made on his own trousers and felt the heat on his neck. Hux swallowed with difficulties and run his finger through his hair with a long puff.   
Rose look down on her own hands, they were shaking and she felt them ice cold.   
None of them really noticed when it happened, but the bounty hunters had left a while ago, for they thought that they were interrupting another couple.  
So, according to Rose’s plan official record, Second Mouse Strategy had been a success.   
On the personal sphere, it had been a complete disaster.   
Rose felt the tears threatening with showing up, but she held them back. Rose looked out to make sure that they were alone and both traitors ran to the garage, searching for the motorbike.


	23. I kinda liked it…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BEG YOU EXCUSE MEEEEEEE???????

The ride back to the hotel was silent, tense and Rose wished it never ended. She didn’t want to get off the motorbike and face the slap of reality on her like splash of frozen water. She focused on the traffic lights and on the road, she didn’t want to think, she didn’t want to think about Hux sitting behind her… and she definitely didn’t want to think about that chair.   
Rose felt the anxiety on her throat and wished that the night was cold enough to freeze her body and take away the remaining heat she still had inside. Rose drove safely across the highway and, too soon, they arrived at the hotel.  
The lift ride was the weirdest of all the weird lift rides they had. Hux had his arms crossed over his chest and was looking down with a plain, cold face. Rose was also looking down and her hands were closed in fists on the skirt. They both knew that they had crossed a line, and not any other line, the intimacy that they shared on that chair was like jumping off a cliff. Rose sighted and covered her face, “what have I done?”, she thought.  
When they entered the room, Rose leaned against the door, still looking down and retraining herself from screaming and running away. Swallowing and under the constant gaze of Hux, Rose pulled out the card that she had successfully stolen from the Counselor, throwing it across the kitchen isle. Hux gave a long stare at the card and then at Rose.  
-You succeeded in stealing it. –he commented, breaking the dense silence, Rose nodded and walked upstairs without answering-  
Hux leaned against the kitchen isle and picked up the card, flipping it around. He had seen many like this, he knew how they worked and how to extract the information. His eyes moved to the small laptop, it could work. Rose came down with new clothes under her arm and locked herself in the bathroom, Hux sighted, he could use a shower too, especially after the mess he made. He felt the heat on his neck, what a night.

-I am going to sleep on the couch, if you don’t mind. –Rose murmured-  
Hux looked at her and pinched the bridge of his nose, Rose was going to walk away, but Hux extender his hand and held hers. Rose tried to retrain the shiver that shook her, but she couldn’t, which only made her feel worse.   
-Would you mind sit for a moment, please?. –Hux asked-  
Rose bit her lip, after hesitating for a couple of seconds, she nodded and sat on the bed, next to Hux. They looked at each other, they both were very uncomfortable and no one knew how to start the conversation. With a deep breath and a sight, Hux took the lead.  
-What happened in Raj’s house… -he started, but he stopped midsentence-  
-What do you mean, exactly?.-Rose said with a rough voice- The robbery? The Counselor in the hospital unit?... The chair?. –she stuttered-  
Hux felt his ears burning, he shook his head.  
-I couldn’t care less about that idiot Counselor. –Hux declared, he lowered his voice- I care about you.  
Rose puffed laughing.  
-Me?. –she asked- Why would you care about me, Hugs?.  
“Hugs”, she still called him like that, not everything was lost. Hux took it as a good sign.  
-I am not really sure why. –he confessed- But I do, and this crazy idea is a success because of you, for which I can say nothing but congratulating you, Rose. –she shook her head-  
-This is not a success, Hugs, this is a disaster. –she replied, she had tears on her eyes and Hux felt a knot on his throat- I feel… -she looked down- I feel like shit.   
-Do you feel bad because you saved us from the bounty hunters?. –he asked softly-  
-I feel bad because… -Rose stopped, her cheeks flushed and she licked her bottom lip- I feel bad because of you.   
Hux blinked, oh…  
-You feel bad because you felt forced to kiss me to mislead them. –he said with a cold voice- You feel bad because you saw that the only gateway was kissing the biggest bastard in the whole galaxy.   
Rose looked up and tried to speak, but her voice didn’t come out. She shook her head one more time.  
-You don’t need to justify yourself. –Hux continued, his voice felt like a sharp knife on her skin- I will see this just as part of the plan…  
-I feel bad because I pushed you!!. –Rose cried, Hux blinked, caught by surprise- I feel bad because I know how much you despise contact, I feel bad because I pushed you back there. –Rose covered her face, but she couldn’t stop confessing- I feel like a predator because of what I did to you. And I feel even worse because I liked it.  
Rose couldn’t take it anymore, she stood up and tried to run away with her shame, but Hux caught her before. He did it without thinking, he grabbed her hand and pushed her towards him, hugging her against his chest as he let them fall against the bed. Rose found herself between Hux’s arms with her face buried in his soft pj T-shirt. She tried to protest, but Hux hugged tighter and made a soft “shh” on her hair.   
Rose felt the cry on her chest, but she didn’t hold it that time, she cried, she really cried on Hux’s arms, letting herself go. Rose hugged him as if he was the only thing that kept her going, like a pillar in the middle of a storm as she felt the waves of her anxiety hit her like the tide. Hux did the exact same thing that Rose did with him, he ran his fingers through her long, soft hair and caressed her back as she sobbed.   
Rose had been bottling up anxiety since her sister passed away, unable to mourn her properly and to think about her. If we added the fact that she had been lying for the past week and a half to pretty much everyone excepting for Hux and all the damn party, Rose felt that she was about to explode. Rose held tighter against Hux’s chest on a new wave that made her shiver and even scream, Hux kissed her hair and kept on holding her. “I am here now”, he thought, “and it is the only place I need to be”.  
Very slowly, Rose’s cry started to fade away, leaving her feeling empty and with a strange sensation of inner peace, Hux was still holding her with the same protective attitude. With puffy eyes and red cheeks, she dared to look up. Hux placed a finger under her chin and gave her a long, tender stare.   
-Do you feel better?. –he asked softly-  
Rose blinked with a weak smile.  
-I am sorry. –she stuttered-  
Hux denied with his head and dared to kiss her forehead. Rose felt her heart beating faster.  
-Hugs, I… -she began-  
-Don’t you ever dare to say that you are sorry for what happened tonight. –Hux cut her looking at her in the eyes, he sounded firm and convinced, Rose flushed- You didn’t push me, Rose. –he smiled a little and Rose could see small green dots on his eyes- And, being honest, I loved it.  
Rose swallowed, she felt her knees shaking.  
-Even if you kissed rebel scum?. –she muttered-   
Hux took a deep breath and puffed through his nose. He gave her a tender look that made her heart melt. Hux still held her chin and looked at her in the eyes when he softly leaned in… to softly kiss her. Rose froze for a second, she didn’t see that coming. But, oh, she was weak and she closed her eyes and let the general kiss her with such a tenderness and delicacy that made feel knees feel like butter. Rose didn’t remember the last time someone kissed her like that, she couldn’t remember the last time that a man caressed her lips like that. Hux curled his fingers on her nape and Rose coped his face with her hands.   
They stopped kissing and put their foreheads together with heavy breathing, still with their eyes closed. Rose’s mind was burning with thousands of questions, the first one being how could a man like Hux could kiss so softly.   
Rose looked at him, confused.  
-Hugs, how?. –she asked, she blushed harder, puffed and opened her mouth like a fish, Hux was smiling- Why?.  
He laughed a little from the bottom of his chest and Rose forgot how to breath, he was really handsome when he laughed.  
-You blew me away, I guess. –he ventured. Rose lifted a brow, still confused-  
-You regret not having killed me?. –she asked again-  
-I guess that Holdo crashing that cruise against the destructor was the best thing that has ever happened to me. –Hux smiled-  
Rose stood up with her heart on the verge of jumping out the window.   
-Your memory…?. –Rose began-  
Hux rested his head on his hand and smiled.  
-Yeah, I got it back. –he nodded-  
Rose cried and jumped on the bed, happy and excited.  
-When? –she stuttered- How?.  
Hux puffed.  
-General Organa helped me. –Hux said-  
Rose froze again.  
-Excuse me?.  
-Rose… -he smiled- I am the rebel scum.


	24. Rebel (First Order) Scum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth reveals itself!!! Hux will have to decide what is best for himself: confessing or keep on pretending.
> 
> I AM SO SORRY THAT I'VE BEEN SO MIA, university due dates caught up on me so hard taht I didn't have the time or de the energy to write anything. But I am back on track!!

Rose heard a little switching sound. It was her brain. She was leaving her skull, packing all her stuff on a suitcase and leaving a goodbye note with no promises of coming back. Rose felt as if the universe had stopped spinning and the air of the room had frozen in the air. Even her breath felt like a distant background noise.   
She has standing still in front of Hux, her hands laying on her sides, cold and shaky. Her mouth was dry and the remaining part of her rational thought said that Hux was playing tricks on her. Rose ran her tongue through her lips and tried to make the words come back to her.  
-I- I don’t understand. –she managed to articulate-  
Hux moved and sat on the edge of the bed, he was serious, relaxed, but serious. He gave Rose a long stare and stood up with a deep breath.   
-Allow me show you, then. –he murmured-  
Hux started walking to the closet room and Rose followed him like a zombie, dragging her feet across the floor, unaware of what she was doing. Rose felt out of her own body. She felt like an observer, watching herself and Hux walk through the room from the distance, she wasn’t there, she was… she was nowhere else.   
Once in the closet, Hux searched for his military coat, perfectly hung. Rose blinked, trying to come back to reality, but she couldn’t do it, everything was distorted, blurred and sounds and voices were damped, like if her ears were plugged. Everything was confusing, her heart was turned upside down and she didn’t know what to think. One part of her really wanted to believe what Hux was saying, because, to be honest with herself, Rose wasn’t sure she could pretend that she saw Hux at just her “partner in crime” anymore. She hated it but… Hux was one of the smartest people she had ever met in her life and she found the presence of the general quite comforting throughout the crazy plan they were carrying out. He was always calmed and knew how to control himself. Hux knew how to move in such dangerous waters, and, even though Rose didn’t want to admit it, she found herself liking it. And liking being around your enemy wasn’t an ideal situation to describe in a report, especially dealing with the feelings.  
If Hux wasn’t really working for the First Order… that would mean a huge relief to Rose’s confused heart.   
Rose held her pendant so hard that she thought it was going to melt.   
Hux pulled something out of a hidden pocket and looked down before facing Rose. For the first time in his life he felt… doubting. He felt the urgent need of telling Rose that he wasn’t the horrific person everyone said he was (even though he knew he wasn’t particularly a saint). He needed her to know that he was not the enemy. Not anymore, at least. He felt hesitating and frowned. If he did what he was about to do, there was no coming back.   
The wouldn’t be a coming back to anywhere. He couldn’t go back to the First Order; he would not be able to go back to his normal life. Putting his whole life and his future on the edge of the scale based on what Rose would think and say… was it really worth it?. Was it really worth throwing all those years of silent sacrifice away… for her?. For the woman who, in matter of weeks, had changed his perception of reality, and himself, completely. Hux felt a part of him yelling. It was his most primitive, survival instinct that had guided him for years, it was screaming to put the device of his hand right back on the pocket and make up an excuse.   
Hux turned around very slowly, feeling his own fragility burning his lungs. Hux looked at Rose and it felt like he could read her mind like an open book. She was feeling just the same as him. Hux could feel the hesitation, the doubts and her moral fighting over one another in a clash of interests. What was better? To pretend that these almost two weeks were just “work” and swipe then under the rug? Or to stand by and admit that he couldn’t just see her as a “rebel woman”, or just Rose, anymore?.  
Fuck.   
Fuck.   
Fuck.  
Hux swallowed hard and, very slowly, he raised a small transistor and showed it to Rose with his heart full of uncertainty. She didn’t even look at his hand, her eyes were fixed on his and she wasn’t blinking, she was visibly concerned. Hux felt moved by her tenderness, swallowing again, Hux forced himself to turn away from those beautiful almond eyes and to look at his palm, encouraging her to do the same. Rose moved her eyes to the small device very slowly, as if it wasn’t important. She was worried about him, Rose had never seen Hux with such fragility of heart before.   
Hux didn’t say anything, he pressed a bottom and felt how the coin tossed in the air landed on the floor with the sound of his destiny being sealed forever.  
A beeping sound resounded in the closet, Rose and Hux’s hearts were pumping very hard, speaking words that none of them dared to say out loud. Words of fear, words of doubt and confusion. The seconds before the answer felt like an eternity that squeezed Hux’s anxiety almost to the limit.   
The image of general Organa popped up and Rose felt close to fainting.  
-Good evening, General. –Hux said with a plain voice, concealing his fear-  
-Armitage, good to see you. –Leia said with a smile- How are you doing?.  
-Fine. –he answered, Hux’s voice was still cold- I have news for you, General.  
Leia blinked in surprise and nodded, still giving her back to Rose. Rose’s mouth was open, her eyes close to pop out and her face was pale, her hands were shaking. “What the Hell?!” She thought, Hux was talking to General Leia like if they were friends. Rose tried to swallow, but her body didn’t answer. Hux moved his blue eyes towards her, over Leia’s shoulder, making her frown and turn around again to see Rose.   
-Oh. –the general said- Hello, Rose.  
-H-hello, General. –she stuttered-  
Leia smiled and looked at Hux, lifting a brow.   
-So you finally did it. –Leia commented, Hux ran a hand through his nape and puffed looking down, his ears were burning. Leia laughed a little- I told you that you could trust her.   
-Hmpf… -was Hux’s only answer-  
Rose looked at them like if she was watching a table tennis match. She was very confused.  
-What is going on here?. –she finally asked, she felt like she was being played-   
Leia turned around to look at her and smiled tenderly. Hux took a deep breath and faced the confused and angry face of her partner in crime.  
-I am the spy. –he said with determination-  
Rose blinked and felt how her heart rate increased as if she was running a marathon. No way… It was impossible.  
-You?. –she murmured, her voice was fading away- You are the one that…?  
Hux nodded. Leia sighted at Rose’s confusion and decided to help.  
-Armitage has been our inner source for more than ten years. –Leia explained- He was the one giving us key points on the First Order’s plans.   
-But you… -Rose began, but her voice trembled down, she needed a couple of seconds- Everyone hates you, Hugs…  
Leia lifted a brow at the nickname and smiled, Hux shrugged his shoulders in response.  
-I knew what I was signing up to. –he said-  
-Why didn’t you tell me?. –Rose asked-  
-Because only three people know about Armitage’s double identity. –Leia intervened with a serious voice and gave Rose an intense gaze- And those three people are now here in this room.  
Rose froze and Hux took the lead.  
-If someone else from the Resistance, a pilot, a shooter, a bomber knew about me and had the bad fate of ending up in Ren’s hands in questioning… -he left the sentence unfinished-  
Rose felt the floor and the room dancing about her and she had to lay against the wall. She held her head with one hand, still in shock.  
-And everything you’ve done in the First Order… -Rose said- All the attacks…  
Hux frowned his lips and Leia looked away.  
-I am war-dog, Rose. –he said with a cold voice and Rose felt those words stabbing her- Every job has downsides, and my job has many.  
A dense silence installed in the closet, Leia decided to help Hux.  
-Armitage gave us the warning to the areas they were going to attack so that we could tell the population. –she said softly and Rose felt tears coming to her eyes- He’s not that bad.  
-And this mission?. –Rose murmured looking at her feet, trying her hardest to not to cry- Did you know all about it?.  
Hux sighted and Leia crossed her arms on her chest.  
-I didn’t know what was happening. –Hux confessed- I truly needed a couple of days to organize my mind.  
Rose lifted her head very slowly and looked at both generals, still with vertigo.   
This was game-changing.  
-And your memories?... –Rose murmured-  
Leia relaxed her shoulders one more time and smiled, Hux sighted.  
-They came back very slowly in the course of the previous days. –he explained- But the reports from General Organa made a big difference.   
Rose then thought about the “plan” she had created for this madness and felt the tears on her eyes, tears of shame and anger. She was the one being fooled.  
-And the plan?. –she asked again- Did you know about this?.  
-The plan?. –Hux asked, visibly confused-  
Leia laughed a little to Rose’s surprise, which made her even angrier.  
-I didn’t say anything. –Leia said- Armitage explained me your current situation and how you had created the perfect plan to get away with everything in Muna. –she gave to an angry Rose a really proud smile- I am really proud of you, Rose.  
Rose felt the weight of her initial lie sink deeper in her soul. Leia didn’t tell Hux how she had created the “scenario” where their only chance was to work together. And if Hux was confessing… Rose took a deep breath and look at Hux straight in the eye.  
-Then I have another secret to confess. –she said, Hux blinked and Leia nodded- I am sorry, General Hux, -she began- but the idea of coming here to Muna was not my own. –Rose swallowed- I managed to make contact with General Organa when you were unconscious on the stretcher when we escaped Snoke’s Destructor. –Hux lifted his brows, but said nothing- I talked to her and to Maz Kanata. –Rose stopped and Hux puffed when he heard the alien’s name- They gave me the idea of coming here and convincing you to work with me. So what I said about no one from the Resistance knowing about me was a lie.  
A dense silence installed in the closet one more time. Hux was frowning and Leis felt as if she was the referee. She laughed.  
-Rose, -Leia smiled- you didn’t lie entirely to Armitage. –Rose felt her cheeks burning and Hux looked at Leia with narrowed eyes- Nobody knows where you are right now. The only ones that know about you are the ones that are me, here along with Maz.   
Rose and Hux shared a look, she was still confused and ashamed; Hux was processing and classifying the information.   
-The way I see it. –Hux began, breaking the silence- I would dare to say that we are in a tie, Rose.   
Rose looked at him with hope shining in her almond eyes and Hux felt a part of him melting at such gesture. She really wanted him close. That was as beautiful as it was just as scary. Rose felt the tears on her eyes and swiped them away with her fingers.  
-Will I have my job when I come back?. –She asked Leia in soft voice-  
The General laughed out loud.  
-Of course you’ll have your job, Rose!. –she declared and Rose felt a sudden feeling of relieve on her chest, Leia turned again to Hux and changed her voice- Bring the card as fast as possible. You are not safe if those bounty hunters are searching for you.  
-I am afraid that we will have to execute part of it here first, General. -Hux replied with a steel voice- If they find out about the robbery, which they will do, and shortly, they will change the codes and the card will no longer be valid.  
Leia tossed her chin.  
-Then proceed as you consider best, Armitage. -she concluded, Leia turned around and looked at Rose- I will promote you to mechanic chief, Rose. You clearly earned it.  
The image of Leia disappeared and the closet became silent one more time. Rose and Hux shared a look.   
Now what?.


	25. Sorry I roasted you, I was trying to flirt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose is starting to remove the layers that Hux had used all these years to survive... only to find out that they are... 
> 
> P.s: I am so sorry it took me this long to update the fic, university was at it again. But I am officialy on holidays now! So all the times I wanted to write and I couldn't do it are gone now!! I have so many ideas...

Rose and Hux were sitting on the bed, Rose was leg-crossed and Hux was resting his head on the bedposts, eyes closed. They both felt quite uncomfortable and confused, not knowing where to start.   
They had so much to talk about, so, so much… Rose felt like a kettle about to boil, so she tied her long, black hair in a bun, re-arranged her clothes and closed her eyes, tossing her face with both her hands, trying to shup up her anxious thoughts. She was trying her hardest to organize her ideas that were crossing her mind like racing cars. Her brain had come back from her short trip and was running at full speed, trying to connect the dots and make sense of the plot twist the mission had taken. Hux was actually a spy… Rose still didn’t know how to classify that and how to swallow the news.  
On one hand she felt incredibly happy, she had to be honest with herself. Rose felt like her heart was lighted up with joy when Leia confirmed that the amazing, talented, smart and (the Galaxy forgave her) sexy ginger general she was working with wasn’t the awful bastard she thought a couple of weeks ago and that she was forced to collaborate with, leaving her feeling like a complete traitor. Rose felt her heart beating faster when she opened her eyes and turned her face to look at him. Damn it, he was handsome. His normally perfectly styled hair was slightly messy, his bangs were falling over his forehead and shining with reflects of gold and different shades of red, just like his lashes and beard. His pale skin was splashed with freckles of different sizes here and there… along with the dark circles under his eyes. It must have been difficult to keep up with that double life knowing that he had Ren and Snoke flying around him every day. Perfecting that evading technique must have taken him years. Rose frowned.  
Years.  
A sudden thought crossed Rose’s mind: “How old is he?. He is younger that all those years of sacrifice have made of him, I am sure”, Rose couldn’t help thinking. Hux couldn’t be much older than her.   
Hux turned his face slightly to look at her, he was paying attention to her body-language, trying to guess what Rose’s reaction was going to be and anticipate it. Rose lost herself in those extremely pale blue eyes that she knew that had little green dots spread all over. She swallowed hard and felt her heart beating faster and faster…  
She didn’t know how to start the uncomfortable conversation, but she knew something: she wanted to know more about him. What was behind that pretty face and those lips that drove her crazy few hours ago?. The thought of his kisses made her skin flush, but she tried to look cool.  
-I… -Rose began with a rusty voice, she cleared her throat and felt the embarrassment on her stomach- I don’t know how to start… -she stopped again, “kriff, Rose, how old are you?”, she pinched herself and pulled her hair behind her ears, her pulse was rising- but I know that I don’t want to go straight to the needy-greedy-staff. -Hux lifted a brow and Rose swore that she saw a smirk on one corner of his mouth-This is weird, ok?, I’m not sure how much an in-depth explanation I deserve from you and how much an in-depth explanation you deserve from me, -she continued with frustration- but we owe each other.  
Hux turned his face again and looked at the wall in front of them, Rose stared at his profile side and mentally draw the lines of his forehead, nose, his jaw-line… even the shades of light brown and gold of his freckles, feeling her heart pumping as she thought of herself being in his arms, just like a couple of hours ago. Rose bit her cheek. She was a complete idiot. She knew it, she fucking knew it.  
-I assume that you have a questioning session already planned. -Hux said, still looking at the wall-  
Rose tossed her nape and smiled. She kind of had.  
-I want to ask you so many things… -she confessed- but I don’t know if I should.  
Hux closed his eyes and pinched his nose. He started this, so…  
-Bring it on. -he said-  
Rose bit her lip and looked down at her own legs, trying to organize her chaotic thoughts.  
-The question that burns me the most is “why”. -Rose said- But I will leave it for later. -Hux smirked a little- But I also… -she felt more stupid- I want to know… -her heart was going crazy- what I want to know is you.  
Hux frowned and looked at her, not being sure what she meant.  
-I am not entirely sure that I understand what you mean. -Hux said-  
-I want to know you. -Rose declared with flushed cheeks and shiny eyes- I want to know what is behind Armitage Hux, so that when I ask you the reason why, I can understand it.  
Hux’s heart skipped a beat and slightly opened his mouth, completely caught off guard. He even stood up from the bedposts. That was unexpected, although he should had seen it coming. Hux wasn’t unfamiliarized with questionings, he had been both: the interrogator and the questioned. He was used to straight, direct questions, he was even used to persuasion and to violence. He didn’t know why, but he never thought that anyone’s attitude would be different in such a situation.  
But we were talking about Rose here. She was everything but what Hux was used to, and he knew it. Why then her questioning was going to be aggressive, emotionless and assertive? She had never been rude or cruel with him in the past weeks. She bit his finger, that was true, but they were enemies in that moment.   
Hux gave her an intense stare and felt the conflict inside him. Rose was looking at him with a mixture of shyness and anticipation. Hux knew that she deserved an explanation, but how far was he willing to give it to her if he had never allowed one to himself?. Hux frowned, he had a huge deal of pride that he knew how to swallow and adapt to use it to survive, this situation wasn’t different and he had to the exact same thing he had been so far. But being honest, his ego and pride were covered in bruises since he had sense of memory, beaten up and bleeding. He would never admit it, but one tiny part of him needed someone to take care of those bruises. He never felt comfortable enough with someone to the point to open up about anything. Not even with Raj.   
Hux swallowed, he didn’t know what to expect from Rose, he knew he would have to adapt on real time conversation.   
That tiny part of him wished he didn’t have to.  
-What would you like to know?. -Hux asked with a dragged voice-  
Rose frowned her lips and grabbed the sheets in fists. She took a deep breath.  
-How old are you?. -she began with flushed cheeks-  
-According to the Imperial system, thirty-four. -Hux answered with a plain voice, he saw that one coming-  
Rose opened her almond eyes widely and her cheeks flushed.   
-I knew you weren’t much older than me. -she commented- I am twenty-nine.  
Hux lifted a brow, indeed, there wasn’t a big age gap.   
-Where are you from?. -she asked next with excitement- We don’t have much information about you, Hugs.  
Hux smiled a little when he heard that nickname. He definitely didn’t hate at all, on her lips it sounded sweet.   
-I was born in Arkanis. -he kept on going with that plain voice, he took a deep breath and elaborated the answer, he knew what her next question was going to be- I am the bastard son of the Imperial Commander Brendol Hux. -Rose lifted her brows in surprise- My mother was a kitchen maid who was smart enough not to resist my father and his orders.  
A dense silence installed in the room.  
-I heard stories of Brendol Hux when I was a child. -Rose said with a low voice and looked away- None of them were nice.   
Hux puffed.  
-He was not. -he nodded with cold rage- He never saw me as “his son” beyond the fact that we shared blood. I was a tool in his eyes. –“an useless one”, he thought clashing his teeth- He recognized me because he wasn’t able to have a son with his official wife. -Hux looked at Rose with a cold stare- I poisoned him when I was old enough to survive by myself and set his whole base on fire to make sure not a single piece of him was left to bury.   
Rose felt the weight of Hux’s words sink in. That rage… she saw it back in Raj’s office a couple of days ago. That sort of rage that, sadly, she knew so well.  
-He abused you. -she murmured, Hux’s eyes became frozen ice, full of hate- He deserved every bit of pain. -Rose continued- I know the feeling. -she confessed looking away-  
Hux frowned, what?. Rose?. He felt a spark of rage burning in his chest that ran deeper than his own pain. The though of someone trying to hurt her…   
-I was a mine slave in the Otomok System, I spent years in the Haisyan mines of Hays Minor. -she began- Children were precious, we fitted better inside the small tunnels, we reached further. -she let go of a sad laugh- The foreman was particularly cruel with children, he wanted to “educate” us… -Rose gave Hux a look- and used the example of Brendol Hux as the highest reference there was in the universe. You can imagine his methods.  
Hux felt sick to his stomach.   
-I spent weeks without sunlight, sometimes. -Rose’s voice was plain and emotionless, but Hux could read the underlying pain she was trying to hide- That’s why I am so short. -Rose looked at him with a sad smile- I breathed in too much Haysian dust and my lungs were affected. -she puffed- As well as my growth. I should have been at least a head taller.  
-Where is that foreman?. -Hux asked with a frozen voice-  
Rose lifted her brows at Hux’s rage, why was he so angry?.  
-Hopefully he’s part of the mine wall. -she answered- I dumped him in one of the wells when the Resistance came to rescue us when I was ten.  
Hux’s brain stopped for a second… and his heart sopped along with it. No way… Hux looked at Rose with an open mouth and frowning, when she was ten… Hux swallowed.  
A dense silence installed between them, Rose was confused as to why was Hux so quiet, he seemed like he was thinking and calculating something.  
-Is everything alright?. -Rose asked softly-  
-You were wearing a coat that night. -he murmured-  
Rose frowned; she was completely confused.  
-Beg you pardon?. -she said-  
-You were wearing a brown coat that night. -he repeated looking at her in the eye- Your trousers were ripped; your shoes were on the verge of falling apart, they were part of the mine’s uniform. And you were wearing that pendant outside your clothes. -Hux pointed at her chest with his chin and swallowed again. Rose’s blood froze in her veins- You were with another girl, holding hands and shaking.  
Hux stopped and Rose looked at him with an open mouth. Rose was confused, how did he know what she was wearing that night when they were rescued?...  
-How…? -she murmured-  
Hux looked at her in the eye and gave her a sad smile.  
-I was in that Resistance ship that night. -he confessed- I was in one of the cells.  
Rose held her breath and stood up, almost jumping off the bed. Hux’s sad smile grew bigger. Rose’s heart was close to exploding, the adrenaline running through her, waking her up regardless of how late it was.   
No way, no way, no way.  
Something clicked in her head.  
-IT WAS YOU. -she screamed, covering her mouth with both hands-  
Rose’s knees started shaking and she took off the bomber jacket. Rose started walking up and down the room, she felt on fire. Hux was still sitting on the bed, looking at her with a smirk.  
-You were the boy I saw. -she continued- You were the boy that was in that cell when they rescued us.  
Hux nodded.  
-They had just found me after a I had set my father’s base on fire. -he explained-  
Rose looked at Hux and everything made sense in that instant. Of course it was him. Now she remembered, Rose and Paige had just dumped that monster in that well when the Resistance soldier found them. They were terrified and thought that he was going to kill them…   
“-Do you want to run away from here to never come back?.” -he had asked them-  
Of course they said yes. The soldier took them to the main ship and asked a droid to take them to the nursery, they were injured and needed to be taken care of.   
Rose’s memories were flashing through her eyes, it had been years since the last time she allowed herself to think of those days. Rose remembered how her eardrums were plugged, she barely could hear anything around her, but her sense of smell was perfect.  
In fact, what Rose remembered the most about that night were not the explosions or the shots. Nor the screams or the commands from the First Order’s soldiers. Not even the face of the foreman when he fell off that well. What Rose remembered the most that night were the different smells that got stuck in her brain forever.   
And some pinpointed images.   
Rose looked at Hux with heavy breathing and trembling lips.  
She remembered walking through those corridors holding Paige’s hand, following that droid and looking everywhere, completely terrified. Rose felt the knot of sadness when her sister’s beautiful face popped up, but she held back the tears. They were terrified and, at some point, Rose saw a cell with a boy sitting down on the floor, with his head buried between his knees. It wasn’t longer than a few seconds, but that vision stayed with her.  
She had stopped in the middle of that corridor to look at him. That little Rose was amazed at how beautiful his hair was… So orange, bright and with splashes of reds and gold. She had never seen a hair like that. A little whisper left her lips and it was like the boy from the cell could hear her. He lifted his head to look straight at her. They shared a terrified look that lasted a couple of seconds but that felt like an eternity. Rose felt chills, his eyes were so blue… but when she saw the rage in those beautiful eyes, she knew that that boy was just like her. Then Paige grabbed her hand and pulled her to keep on walking.  
Rose never saw that boy again.  
Until now.  
But he wasn’t a boy anymore. Rose swallowed. He wasn’t skinny and fragile. Armitage Hux was the grown-up man he was destined to be.  
-You were the boy in that cell… -she murmured, Hux nodded- How…?  
-I didn’t know. -he said- I had this feeling of familiarity with you when I saw your pendant in the Destructor. -Hux gave her an intense look- I knew I had seen that pendant of yours before, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly where and when… Until you mentioned Hays Minor.  
Rose let go a long sight, the room was dancing around her.   
-Why, Hugs?. -she asked-  
Hux smiled, there it was.  
-Because I wanted to see the system that allowed a monster like my father to exist burning down. -he answered- Not for other children or anything like that, don’t get it mistaken. -he added quickly- I did it for me. It is my personal revenge.  
Rose closed her eyes and smiled.  
-Thank you.


End file.
